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Maybe France’s most notorious jail, the La Santé prison – in which ex-president of France Nicolas Sarkozy is now serving a five-year prison sentence for unlawful collusion to solicit political donations from the Libyan government – is the only remaining prison within the city of Paris.

Situated in the south part of Montparnasse district of the city, it first opened in 1867 and hosted of at least 40 executions, the last in 1972. Partly shut down for upgrades in 2014, the facility reopened five years later and accommodates more than 1,100 prisoners.

Well-known ex- prisoners encompass poet Guillaume Apollinaire, the rogue trader Jérôme Kerviel, the civil servant and collaborator with the Nazis Maurice Papon, the tycoon and political figure Bernard Tapie, the terrorist from the 1970s Carlos the Jackal, and modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel.

Protected Wing for High-Profile Inmates

Prominent or endangered inmates are typically accommodated in the jail’s QB4 section for “vulnerable people” – the so-called “VIP section” – in solitary cells, rather than the usual three-inmate units, and isolated during yard time for protection purposes.

Located on the ground floor, the ward has 19 identical rooms and a private recreation area so detainees are not forced to mingle with fellow inmates – while they continue to be subject to whistles, taunts and smartphone photos from nearby cells.

Mostly for such concerns, Sarkozy is expected to be placed in the solitary confinement unit, which is in a separate wing. In reality, conditions are very similar as in the QB4 ward: the past leader will be alone in his room and accompanied by a guard whenever he leaves it.

“The objective is to avoid any incidents at all, so we must block him from coming into contact with any inmates,” a source within the facility commented. “The easiest and most efficient method is to assign Nicolas Sarkozy directly to solitary confinement.”

Cell Conditions

Both solitary and protected units are the same to those elsewhere in the jail, roughly about eleven square meters, with window coverings designed to restrict communication, a bed, a compact desk, a shower, WC, and fixed-line phone with authorized contacts only.

Sarkozy is provided with standard meals but will also have access to the prison store, where he can buy items to make his own meals, as well as to a small solitary recreation area, a gym and the library. He can lease a fridge for €7.50 a per month and a television set for 14.15 euros.

Restricted Visits

In addition to three permitted visits a each week, he will mainly be on his own – an advantage in the facility, which notwithstanding its recent renovation is operating at roughly twice its planned occupancy of 657 prisoners. The country's jails are the third most overcrowded in the European Union.

Items Brought

Sarkozy, who has consistently protested his non-guilt, has declared he will be bringing 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 condemned to prison but breaks out to take revenge.

Sarkozy’s attorney, Jean-Michel Darrois, mentioned he was also bringing hearing protection because the jail can be noisy at nighttime, and several sweaters, because units can be cold. Sarkozy has stated he is fearless of being in jail and intends to utilize the time to compose a book.

Uncertain Duration

It remains uncertain, however, for how long he will really be housed in the facility: his legal team have submitted for his conditional release, and an reviewing judge will have to prove a risk of flight, repeat offenses or witness-tampering to justify his continued detention.

French jurists have indicated he might be released in less than a month.