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Maybe the nation's most legendary prison, the La Santé prison – in which former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has begun a five-year prison sentence for unlawful collusion to obtain political donations from the Libyan government – is the only remaining prison within the Paris city limits.

Located in the south part of Montparnasse area of the city, it first opened in the year 1867 and was the scene of a minimum of 40 death penalties, the most recent in 1972. Partly closed for refurbishment in 2014, the institution resumed operations five years later and accommodates over 1,100 inmates.

Well-known past detainees encompass poet Guillaume Apollinaire, the financial trader Jérôme Kerviel, the civil servant and wartime collaborator Maurice Papon, the entrepreneur and political figure Bernard Tapie, the terrorist from the 1970s Carlos the Jackal, and modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel.

Protected Wing for Prominent Prisoners

Notable or vulnerable prisoners are usually placed in the prison's QB4 ward for “protected persons” – the dubbed “VIP quarters” – in single cells, not the typical three-person cells, and isolated during yard time for protection purposes.

Positioned on the initial level, the ward has 19 identical cells and a reserved exercise yard so detainees are not forced to mingle with other prisoners – although they are still exposed to shouts, taunts and mobile snapshots from nearby cells.

Primarily for such concerns, Sarkozy is set to be housed in the segregated section, which is in a separate wing. In reality, conditions are largely identical as in QB4: the ex-president will be by himself in his cell and escorted by a guard whenever he exits.

“The objective is to avert any incidents at all, so we need to prevent him from encountering any inmates,” a source within the facility revealed. “The most straightforward and best solution is to place Nicolas Sarkozy directly to solitary confinement.”

Accommodation Details

Both solitary and VIP cells are the same to those in other parts in the prison, roughly approximately 10 square meters, with coverings on windows designed to restrict communication, a bed, a small desk, a shower unit, lavatory, and landline telephone with pre-set numbers.

Sarkozy will receive regular meals but will also have the ability to the commissary, where he can buy items to cook for himself, as well as to a individual recreation area, a fitness room and the book collection. He can pay for a fridge for €7.50 a per month and a television set for €14.15.

Controlled Interactions

Apart from three permitted visits a each week, he will mainly be on his own – an advantage in the prison, which notwithstanding its modernization is functioning at approximately double its planned occupancy of 657 inmates. The country's correctional facilities are the third most congested in the EU.

Items Brought

Sarkozy, who has repeatedly protested his innocence, has declared he will be taking with him a account of Jesus and a edition of The Count of Monte Cristo, by the author Alexandre Dumas, in which an falsely convicted person is sentenced to jail but breaks out to seek vengeance.

Sarkozy’s attorney, Jean-Michel Darrois, noted he was also packing earplugs because the jail can be disruptive at during the night, and several sweaters, because units can be chilly. Sarkozy has commented he is not scared of spending time in jail and plans to make use of the period to write a manuscript.

Release Prospects

The duration is unknown, however, the length of time he will really remain in La Santé: his attorneys have lodged for his premature release, and an reviewing judge will have to prove a chance of escaping, further crimes or witness-tampering to justify his ongoing incarceration.

France's law specialists have proposed he might be released in less than a month.