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Possibly the nation's most fabled correctional facility, La Santé – in which ex-president of France Nicolas Sarkozy has begun a five year prison sentence for illegal conspiracy to solicit election financing from the Libyan government – is the only remaining prison within the Paris city limits.

Found in the south part of Montparnasse district of the city, it first opened in the year 1867 and was the scene of at least 40 executions, the final one in 1972. Partially closed for renovation in 2014, the prison reopened in 2019 and holds over 1,100 prisoners.

Famous ex- prisoners include the poet Guillaume Apollinaire, the unauthorized trader Jérôme Kerviel, the civil servant and Nazi collaborator Maurice Papon, the tycoon and politician Bernard Tapie, the 70s terrorist Carlos the Jackal, and talent scout Jean-Luc Brunel.

Protected Wing for Prominent Prisoners

Prominent or vulnerable prisoners are usually accommodated in the prison's QB4 section for “protected persons” – the dubbed “VIP section” – in solitary cells, rather than the usual triple-occupancy rooms, and kept alone during exercise periods for protection purposes.

Located on the first floor, the unit has nineteen similar units and a reserved recreation area so detainees are not forced to mix with other detainees – although they continue to be subject to calls, insults and cellphone pictures from neighboring units.

Mainly for this reason, Sarkozy will reportedly be held in the solitary confinement unit, which is in a distinct block. Actually, circumstances are much the same as in QB4: the past leader will be alone in his room and supervised by a prison officer each time he leaves it.

“The objective is to avert any problems whatsoever, so we have to block him from encountering fellow detainees,” a source within the facility revealed. “The easiest and most efficient approach is to assign Nicolas Sarkozy directly to isolation.”

Accommodation Details

Each of the isolation and VIP cells are the same to those elsewhere in the prison, measuring about 10 sq metres, with coverings on windows created to restrict interaction, a sleeping cot, a small desk, a shower unit, WC, and landline telephone with authorized contacts only.

Sarkozy will be served regular meals but will additionally have access to the commissary, where he can buy items to make his own meals, as well as to a private exercise yard, a gym and the prison library. He can pay for a refrigerator for 7.50 euros a monthly and a television set for fourteen euros fifteen.

Controlled Interactions

Besides three allowed visits a each week, he will mostly be by himself – a luxury in La Santé, which notwithstanding its recent upgrades is operating at approximately twice its intended capacity of 657 inmates. France’s prisons are the third most overcrowded in the EU.

Items Brought

Sarkozy, who has steadfastly asserted his non-guilt, has declared he will be taking with him a life story of Jesus and a version of The Count of Monte Cristo, by the author Alexandre Dumas, in which an innocent man is sentenced to prison but flees to get retribution.

Sarkozy’s lawyer, Jean-Michel Darrois, mentioned he was additionally taking hearing protection because the facility can be noisy at during the night, and multiple sweaters, because units can be cold. Sarkozy has stated he is unafraid of serving time in jail and aims to utilize the time to write a manuscript.

Possible Early Release

It is unclear, however, for how long he will in fact be housed in the facility: his legal team have already filed for his early release, and an appeals judge will must establish a chance of flight, repeat offenses or influencing testimony to justify his ongoing incarceration.

French jurists have suggested he may be freed within a month.