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Perhaps France’s most notorious prison, La Santé – where former French president Nicolas Sarkozy is now serving a five year prison sentence for criminal conspiracy to raise election financing from the Libyan government – remains the only remaining prison inside the French capital's boundaries.

Situated in the southern Montparnasse neighborhood of the capital, it first opened in the year 1867 and was the scene of no fewer than 40 death penalties, the last in 1972. Partly closed for upgrades in 2014, the institution resumed operations in 2019 and holds more than 1,100 prisoners.

Well-known former detainees comprise poet Guillaume Apollinaire, the rogue trader Jérôme Kerviel, the public servant and Nazi collaborator Maurice Papon, the businessman and political figure Bernard Tapie, the terrorist from the 1970s Carlos the Jackal, and model agent Jean-Luc Brunel.

VIP Quarters for Notable Prisoners

Prominent or endangered detainees are usually held in the prison's QB4 unit for “vulnerable people” – the often called “VIP section” – in solitary cells, not the usual three-inmate rooms, and separated during exercise periods for protection purposes.

Located on the ground floor, the unit has a set of uniform rooms and a dedicated outdoor space so prisoners are not obliged to interact with other detainees – even though they are still exposed to calls, taunts and cellphone pictures from adjacent cells.

Primarily for that reason, Sarkozy will reportedly be held in the isolation ward, which is in a isolated area. Actually, conditions are very similar as in the QB4 ward: the past leader will be alone in his unit and supervised by a guard every time he goes out.

“The aim is to avert any issues whatsoever, so we need to stop him from meeting other prisoners,” a source within the facility stated. “The most straightforward and best solution is to place Nicolas Sarkozy straight to solitary confinement.”

Cell Conditions

Each of the isolation and protected rooms are the same to those elsewhere in the jail, measuring approximately 10 sq metres, with window coverings designed to reduce communication, a sleeping cot, a compact desk, a shower, toilet, and stationary phone with authorized contacts only.

Sarkozy will receive standard meals but will additionally have access to the canteen, where he can acquire groceries to prepare himself, as well as to a private outdoor space, a gym and the book collection. He can pay for a fridge for seven euros fifty a per month and a TV for 14.15 euros.

Controlled Interactions

Apart from three authorized meetings a per week, he will primarily be on his own – a luxury in the prison, which despite its recent upgrades is functioning at about double its intended capacity of 657 detainees. The country's prisons are the third most packed in the EU bloc.

Prison Supplies

Sarkozy, who has repeatedly protested his innocence, has said he will be carrying with him a life story of Jesus and a edition of The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas, in which an innocent man is condemned to jail but breaks out to get retribution.

Sarkozy’s legal counsel, Jean-Michel Darrois, noted he was also packing hearing protection because prison can be loud at night, and multiple sweaters, because units can be cool. Sarkozy has commented he is fearless of serving time in jail and plans to make use of the period to compose a publication.

Uncertain Duration

The duration is unknown, nevertheless, the length of time he will really stay in the prison: his legal team have already filed for his early release, and an appeals judge will must establish a risk of flight, reoffending or influencing testimony to warrant his continued detention.

French law specialists have suggested he may be freed within a month.