St-Denis , just 10km north of the centre of Paris and easily accessible by metro, remains a very distinct community, centred on its magnificent basilica . It was the first heavily industrialized town in France and is a stronghold of the Communist Party, with nearly all the principal streets bearing some notable left-wing name. Today, recession has taken a heavy toll, though the decision to stage the 1998 Football World Cup finals in St-Denis brought temporary fame and fortune. A vast hi-tech stadium was built in honour of the occasion, just south of town, as well as two new RER stops for the thousands of fans passing through.