French entrepreneur Clarisse Le Guernic was born in La Roche-sur-Yon, a city in western France. She started learning Chinese in middle school, convinced that she would one day live in China. Today, on the banks of the Huangpu River, she runs her own cultural company and has developed dozens of city walk routes, leading Chinese and international visitors through Shanghai’s streets and neighborhoods. In the process, she has become a young cultural ambassador connecting Shanghai with the world.
For Le Guernic, China has no shortage of fascinating places to explore, and she believes travel is one of the best ways to experience them. While pursuing her master’s degree, she secured an internship at a travel agency in Shanghai. She spent her days cycling through the city’s streets and neighborhoods, gaining a deeper understanding of Shanghai’s architecture and history. After graduating in 2019, she decided to stay in Shanghai and build her career there.
Her city walk project began in 2020, when the concept was still relatively unfamiliar to the public.
At first, she simply designed several walking routes around Shanghai for Chinese learners of French, taking them on immersive tours in French to explore the city’s history and stories.
Her engaging storytelling and strong knowledge of local history quickly earned positive feedback, attracting an increasing number of Chinese and international visitors. As demand grew, so did the number of routes she developed.
Before launching each new route, Le Guernic repeatedly walks it herself, checking the meeting point, transportation options, facilities along the way and nearby dining options.
She aims to balance convenience with the overall experience, ensuring that every route helps visitors better understand Shanghai and its history.
At her busiest, Le Guernic leads three or four groups a day, covering multiple routes and walking 20,000 to 30,000 steps daily. To date, she has developed more than 30 themed city walk routes, covering topics ranging from László Hudec’s architecture and the cultural heritage of Suzhou Creek to local cuisine and Shanghai’s comic-book history.
