Cercle Sportif Français,- Shanghai - 1926
Rue Cardinal Mercier, French Concession.
Known universally as the "French Club", this building was the home of Shanghai's most popular social and sporting clubs. Unlike the stuffier Shanghai Club and the American Club, this was the most cosmopolitan club in town, even extending its membership to women (quelle horreur!); although to balance this madness, female membership was limited to 40. The club featured a roof-top terrace (for summer dances), restaurants, a ballroom, restaurants, bars, billiards room and games room. For the more active, there was a huge swimming pool and twenty tennis courts.
The clubhouse was designed by Shanghai's leading French architects Alexandre Leonard and Paul Veysseyre of Leonard, Veysseyre et Kruze in the French Renaissance style. Unfortunately, due to the surrounding trees and cars, my photo does not capture the wide frontage of the building. Sadly too, the twin cupolas on the roof have been removed but a photo of the original club in its heyday can be found at the website of Virtual Shanghai at www.virtualshanghai.net/Asset/Preview/dbImage_ID-1390_No-... .
It is now part of the Okura Garden Hotel on what is now known as Maoming Road South.
Cercle Sportif Français,- Shanghai - 1926
Rue Cardinal Mercier, French Concession.
Known universally as the "French Club", this building was the home of Shanghai's most popular social and sporting clubs. Unlike the stuffier Shanghai Club and the American Club, this was the most cosmopolitan club in town, even extending its membership to women (quelle horreur!); although to balance this madness, female membership was limited to 40. The club featured a roof-top terrace (for summer dances), restaurants, a ballroom, restaurants, bars, billiards room and games room. For the more active, there was a huge swimming pool and twenty tennis courts.
The clubhouse was designed by Shanghai's leading French architects Alexandre Leonard and Paul Veysseyre of Leonard, Veysseyre et Kruze in the French Renaissance style. Unfortunately, due to the surrounding trees and cars, my photo does not capture the wide frontage of the building. Sadly too, the twin cupolas on the roof have been removed but a photo of the original club in its heyday can be found at the website of Virtual Shanghai at www.virtualshanghai.net/Asset/Preview/dbImage_ID-1390_No-... .
It is now part of the Okura Garden Hotel on what is now known as Maoming Road South.