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Possibly France’s most fabled prison, La Santé – where former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has begun a five year jail term for criminal conspiracy to obtain political donations from the Libyan government – stands as the only remaining prison within the Paris city limits.

Situated in the southern Montparnasse neighborhood of the capital, it was inaugurated in 1867 and was the scene of a minimum of 40 death penalties, the final one in 1972. Partly shut down for upgrades in 2014, the prison reopened half a decade later and holds more than 1,100 inmates.

Renowned past prisoners comprise poet Guillaume Apollinaire, the financial trader Jérôme Kerviel, the government official and collaborator with the Nazis Maurice Papon, the entrepreneur and politician Bernard Tapie, the terrorist from the 1970s Carlos the Jackal, and modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel.

Special Treatment for Prominent Inmates

Notable or endangered inmates are generally accommodated in the prison's QB4 unit for “vulnerable people” – the often called “VIP section” – in individual cells, rather than the standard triple-occupancy units, and kept alone during outdoor activities for safety concerns.

Positioned on the first floor, the section has a set of uniform units and a private recreation area so inmates are not required to interact with other prisoners – although they are still vulnerable to whistles, insults and cellphone pictures from nearby cells.

Primarily for that reason, Sarkozy is expected to be placed in the isolation ward, which is in a separate wing. Practically, the environment are much the same as in the QB4 ward: the past leader will be by himself in his room and escorted by a guard each time he goes out.

“The objective is to avoid any problems at all, so we must stop him from coming into contact with other prisoners,” a prison source stated. “The simplest and most effective method is to assign Nicolas Sarkozy directly to solitary confinement.”

Accommodation Details

Each of the solitary and protected units are similar to those elsewhere in the prison, measuring around 10 sq metres, with coverings on windows designed to limit communication, a bed, a small desk, a shower, WC, and landline telephone with pre-set numbers.

Sarkozy will be served typical prison food but will additionally have the option to the canteen, where he can acquire items to cook for himself, as well as to a individual recreation area, a fitness room and the prison library. He can lease a cooling unit for €7.50 a monthly and a television for fourteen euros fifteen.

Restricted Visits

Apart from three permitted visits a each week, he will primarily be on his own – an advantage in La Santé, which in spite of its modernization is functioning at approximately double its designed capacity of 657 inmates. France’s jails are the third most packed in the European Union.

Items Brought

Sarkozy, who has steadfastly protested his non-guilt, has declared he will be carrying with him a biography of Jesus and a edition of The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas, in which an wrongly accused individual is given a sentence to prison but breaks out to take revenge.

Sarkozy’s attorney, Jean-Michel Darrois, said he was additionally bringing noise blockers because prison can be loud at during the night, and several sweaters, because cells can be cool. Sarkozy has commented he is not scared of spending time in prison and aims to use it to compose a publication.

Release Prospects

The duration is unknown, though, the length of time he will really stay in La Santé: his lawyers have lodged for his conditional release, and an judge on appeal will need to demonstrate a risk of absconding, repeat offenses or influencing testimony to justify his further imprisonment.

France's legal experts have indicated he might be released in less than a month.