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Possibly France’s most legendary prison, the La Santé prison – where former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has begun a five year jail term for criminal conspiracy to raise campaign funds from the Libyan government – remains the sole surviving prison inside the French capital's boundaries.

Situated in the south part of Montparnasse area of the city, it first opened in the year 1867 and hosted of a minimum of 40 capital punishments, the final one in 1972. Partly closed for refurbishment in 2014, the prison resumed operations in 2019 and houses over 1,100 inmates.

Renowned past inmates include poet Guillaume Apollinaire, the financial trader Jérôme Kerviel, the public servant and wartime collaborator Maurice Papon, the businessman and political figure Bernard Tapie, the militant from the seventies Carlos the Jackal, and talent scout Jean-Luc Brunel.

VIP Quarters for Notable Prisoners

Notable or at-risk prisoners are typically placed in the prison's QB4 section for “individuals at risk” – the often called “VIP quarters” – in individual cells, not the standard triple-occupancy cells, and isolated during outdoor activities for security reasons.

Positioned on the initial level, the ward has nineteen similar rooms and a private recreation area so inmates are not forced to interact with other detainees – while they continue to be subject to shouts, jeers and smartphone photos from nearby cells.

Primarily for such concerns, Sarkozy is expected to be placed in the isolation ward, which is in a separate wing. Practically, conditions are very similar as in QB4: the former president will be alone in his cell and accompanied by a prison officer every time he goes out.

“The objective is to avoid any incidents at all, so we must block him from meeting fellow detainees,” a prison source revealed. “The most straightforward and most efficient approach is to assign Nicolas Sarkozy immediately to isolation.”

Living Quarters

Both isolation and VIP units are similar to those elsewhere in the institution, roughly around 10 square meters, with window coverings intended to limit contact, a bed, a compact desk, a shower unit, toilet, and stationary phone with pre-set numbers.

Sarkozy will be served regular meals but will additionally have the option to the commissary, where he can purchase items to cook for himself, as well as to a private outdoor space, a fitness room and the library. He can pay for a refrigerator for seven euros fifty a month and a television for fourteen euros fifteen.

Controlled Interactions

Besides three allowed visits a per week, he will mainly be alone – an advantage in the prison, which in spite of its recent renovation is functioning at about twice its planned occupancy of 657 prisoners. The country's correctional facilities are the third most overcrowded in the European Union.

Prison Supplies

Sarkozy, who has consistently asserted his innocence, has stated he will be carrying with him a life story of Jesus Christ and a edition of The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas, in which an falsely convicted person is given a sentence to jail but escapes to seek vengeance.

Sarkozy’s legal counsel, Jean-Michel Darrois, noted he was additionally taking earplugs because the facility can be disruptive at during the night, and several sweaters, because cells can be cold. Sarkozy has stated he is fearless of spending time in jail and aims to utilize the time to author a publication.

Uncertain Duration

The duration is unknown, however, the length of time he will actually remain in the prison: his lawyers have submitted for his conditional release, and an reviewing judge will have to prove a potential of absconding, repeat offenses or witness-tampering to validate his ongoing incarceration.

France's law specialists have indicated he might be released within a month.