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Maybe France’s most fabled prison, La Santé – in which ex-president of France Nicolas Sarkozy has started a five-year jail term for unlawful collusion to solicit political donations from the Libyan government – stands as the only remaining prison inside the Paris city limits.

Found in the south part of Montparnasse neighborhood of the capital, it first opened in the year 1867 and was the site of at least 40 capital punishments, the last in 1972. Partially closed for upgrades in 2014, the prison resumed operations in 2019 and houses more than 1,100 detainees.

Famous past prisoners include the poet Guillaume Apollinaire, the rogue trader Jérôme Kerviel, the government official and Nazi collaborator Maurice Papon, the businessman and politician Bernard Tapie, the militant from the seventies Carlos the Jackal, and talent scout Jean-Luc Brunel.

Special Treatment for High-Profile Inmates

High-profile or at-risk prisoners are typically accommodated in the prison's QB4 section for “vulnerable people” – the often called “VIP section” – in single cells, rather than the usual three-inmate units, and isolated during exercise periods for security reasons.

Located on the ground floor, the unit has a set of uniform units and a private outdoor space so detainees are not required to interact with other prisoners – even though they continue to be exposed to shouts, jeers and mobile snapshots from neighboring units.

Mainly for that reason, Sarkozy will reportedly be held in the segregated section, which is in a isolated area. Actually, the environment are very similar as in the QB4 ward: the ex-president will be alone in his room and accompanied by a corrections officer whenever he goes out.

“The aim is to avoid any problems whatsoever, so we need to stop him from encountering other prisoners,” a source within the facility commented. “The simplest and most effective solution is to place Nicolas Sarkozy immediately to segregation.”

Living Quarters

Each of the isolation and VIP rooms are the same to those in other parts in the institution, roughly around 10 sq metres, with coverings on windows created to reduce communication, a sleeping cot, a compact desk, a shower unit, toilet, and stationary phone with authorized contacts only.

Sarkozy will be served regular meals but will also have access to the prison store, where he can purchase food to make his own meals, as well as to a small solitary outdoor space, a fitness room and the prison library. He can rent a refrigerator for 7.50 euros a monthly and a television set for 14.15 euros.

Restricted Visits

Apart from three authorized meetings a each week, he will primarily be on his own – a luxury in the facility, which despite its recent renovation is running at approximately twice its designed capacity of 657 prisoners. The country's jails are the third most congested in the EU.

Prison Supplies

Sarkozy, who has consistently maintained his non-guilt, has said he will be carrying with him a account of Jesus Christ and a copy of The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas, in which an wrongly accused individual is sentenced to jail but flees to seek vengeance.

Sarkozy’s attorney, Jean-Michel Darrois, mentioned he was additionally packing earplugs because prison can be loud at night, and multiple sweaters, because units can be chilly. Sarkozy has commented he is not scared of serving time in prison and intends to make use of the period to compose a manuscript.

Possible Early Release

It is unclear, nevertheless, for how long he will in fact stay in the prison: his lawyers have lodged for his conditional release, and an reviewing judge will must establish a potential of escaping, repeat offenses or witness-tampering to warrant his ongoing incarceration.

France's legal experts have proposed he could be out in less than a month.