The old (and rather simplistic) Left-vs-Right Bank distinction has all but disappeared: nowadays, the Left Bank is just as bourgeois as the Right, perhaps even more so, and the city's few remaining blue-collar areas are mostly on the Right Bank (albeit on its fringe). Its role has been taken over by a much more nuanced picture, in which some of the old stereotypes hold and others have lost any relevance, some formerly poor areas have become cool and fashionable and rather expensive, some of the richest places have become a bit sketchy, and at least one majestic shopping avenue has been all but taken over by certain low-end international brands.
