Apparently Parisian officials already down-sized the Red Light District as prostitution continues to be illegal in France and Sarkozy has a history of opposing legalization. This from Wikipedia:
"Studies from 2003 estimated that about 15,000 – 20,000 women work as prostitutes in France. In 2010, the number of full-time male and female prostitutes was estimated at 20,000 – 30,000, with 80% being foreigners.
Sex work in France, like other countries takes many forms.
These include street prostitution, escort services, bars and apartment prostitution. Street prostitution is partly controlled by pimps, while other workers are autonomous prostitutes. The most famous prostitution street in Paris, the la Rue Saint-Denis, has been somewhat gentrified in recent years and the prostitutes have been moved further north. Escort services where one hires a woman or man for "entertainment" or companionship, but usually including sex are less common in France, compared to North America.
In bars, women try to induce men to buy expensive drinks along with sexual services. Prices are set by the bar owner, and the money is shared between the owner and the prostitute. Pigalle peepshows are well known for practising such scams. Prostitution in apartments is advertised in adult newspapers and magazines.
Swingers' clubs are places where partner-swapping occurs and sometimes paid prostitutes are in attendance, as well as 'amateur' women and couples who get in without paying the flat-rate charge of about 80 to 120 euros that men pay, including food, drink and unlimited sex sessions, with the added twist that these are performed in the open in full view of all the guests. In some cities, such as Lyon, sex workers use vans [[see illustration).

Maison closes
Brothels [[Maisons closes) remain illegal but operate discretely and clandestinely. Since their official closure in 1946 there have been periodic calls for their re-opening. In 1990 Michele Barzach [[RPR), a former Minister of health [[1986–8) suggested re-opening them in 1990 as a public health measure.
Another row erupted in 2002 with the proposal by Françoise de Panafieu [[UMP), which divided French feminists, with Gisele Halimi denouncing it, but Elisabeth Badinter seeing it as an issue of "the right to dispose freely of one's body".
A 2010 proposal by Chantal Brunel for a return to regulated brothels was opposed by French sex workers [[see Politics, above).