The French Concession was a foreign concession in Shanghai, China from 1849 to 1946, and it was progressively expanded betweenthe late 19th and early 20th centuries. The concession period ended in 1943 when the Vichy French government signed it over to the pro-Japanese puppet government in Nanjing (Nanking). The area covered by the former French Concession in the 20th century was the premier residential and retail districts of Shanghai, and was also the centre of Catholicism in Shanghai. Despite rampant re-development over the last few decades, the area retains a distinct character, and is a popular tourist destination.
