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Perhaps the nation's most legendary prison, La Santé – in which former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has begun a five-year jail term for criminal conspiracy to solicit political donations from Libya – remains the sole surviving prison inside the Paris city limits.

Situated in the southern Montparnasse district of the capital, it first opened in 1867 and hosted of at least 40 executions, the last in 1972. Partly shut down for refurbishment in 2014, the facility resumed operations in 2019 and accommodates over 1,100 inmates.

Famous ex- detainees include poet Guillaume Apollinaire, the rogue trader Jérôme Kerviel, the government official and wartime collaborator Maurice Papon, the entrepreneur and politician Bernard Tapie, the 70s terrorist Carlos the Jackal, and model agent Jean-Luc Brunel.

VIP Quarters for Notable Prisoners

Notable or at-risk inmates are generally held in the prison's QB4 section for “individuals at risk” – the often called “premium block” – in solitary cells, rather than the standard three-person rooms, and separated during outdoor activities for safety concerns.

Situated on the first floor, the unit has nineteen similar rooms and a dedicated recreation area so detainees are not obliged to interact with other prisoners – although they remain exposed to calls, taunts and smartphone photos from neighboring units.

Primarily for this reason, Sarkozy will reportedly be held in the isolation ward, which is in a distinct block. Practically, conditions are largely identical as in the protected unit: the past leader will be solitary in his unit and escorted by a corrections officer whenever he exits.

“The goal is to prevent any problems whatsoever, so we must stop him from coming into contact with fellow detainees,” a prison source revealed. “The most straightforward and most effective method is to send Nicolas Sarkozy directly to isolation.”

Living Quarters

Both solitary and VIP rooms are identical to those in other parts in the jail, roughly about 10 sq metres, with window coverings intended to limit communication, a bed, a small desk, a shower, lavatory, and landline telephone with pre-set numbers.

Sarkozy will receive regular meals but will additionally have the option to the prison store, where he can purchase food to make his own meals, as well as to a small solitary exercise yard, a gym and the prison library. He can lease a refrigerator for 7.50 euros a monthly and a television for 14.15 euros.

Controlled Interactions

In addition to three authorized meetings a each week, he will mainly be on his own – a privilege in the facility, which notwithstanding its recent renovation is functioning at roughly twice its intended capacity of 657 detainees. France’s jails are the third most overcrowded in the EU bloc.

Items Brought

Sarkozy, who has repeatedly asserted his innocence, has said he will be taking with him a account of Jesus and a version of The Count of Monte Cristo, by the author Alexandre Dumas, in which an falsely convicted person is condemned to jail but escapes to get retribution.

Sarkozy’s attorney, Jean-Michel Darrois, mentioned he was also bringing hearing protection because the jail can be noisy at night, and a few jumpers, because cells can be cool. Sarkozy has said he is unafraid of spending time in jail and plans to make use of the period to compose a publication.

Uncertain Duration

The duration is unknown, however, for how long he will in fact stay in La Santé: his lawyers have lodged for his conditional release, and an reviewing judge will must establish a potential of escaping, reoffending or witness-tampering to warrant his continued detention.

French legal experts have proposed he could be out within a month.