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Perhaps the nation's most notorious jail, La Santé – in which former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has begun a five-year jail term for unlawful collusion to raise political donations from the Libyan government – remains the last remaining prison inside the city of Paris.

Situated in the south part of Montparnasse area of the city, it was inaugurated in 1867 and was the scene of no fewer than 40 capital punishments, the final one in 1972. Partly closed for upgrades in 2014, the prison reopened in 2019 and houses more than 1,100 detainees.

Famous past detainees encompass poet Guillaume Apollinaire, the unauthorized trader Jérôme Kerviel, the government official and Nazi collaborator Maurice Papon, the businessman and politician Bernard Tapie, the terrorist from the 1970s Carlos the Jackal, and talent scout Jean-Luc Brunel.

Protected Wing for High-Profile Prisoners

High-profile or endangered detainees are typically placed in the jail’s QB4 ward for “protected persons” – the dubbed “VIP quarters” – in solitary cells, rather than the usual three-person rooms, and kept alone during outdoor activities for protection purposes.

Located on the ground floor, the section has 19 identical rooms and a dedicated recreation area so prisoners are not forced to interact with other detainees – although they continue to be subject to whistles, taunts and smartphone photos from adjacent cells.

Mostly for this reason, Sarkozy is expected to be placed in the segregated section, which is in a isolated area. Actually, circumstances are much the same as in the protected unit: the former president will be alone in his room and supervised by a corrections officer every time he leaves it.

“The aim is to prevent any problems whatsoever, so we need to stop him from coming into contact with any inmates,” a source within the facility revealed. “The simplest and most effective solution is to send Nicolas Sarkozy straight to isolation.”

Accommodation Details

Both solitary and protected rooms are similar to those in other parts in the institution, roughly about 10 sq metres, with coverings on windows designed to restrict communication, a bed, a small desk, a shower, lavatory, and stationary phone with pre-set numbers.

Sarkozy will be served typical prison food but will additionally have the option to the canteen, where he can purchase food to prepare himself, as well as to a small solitary outdoor space, a fitness room and the book collection. He can lease a refrigerator for seven euros fifty a per month and a television set for €14.15.

Restricted Visits

In addition to three permitted visits a week, he will mostly be by himself – an advantage in the facility, which in spite of its recent upgrades is running at about double its intended capacity of 657 inmates. The country's prisons are the third most congested in the EU.

Personal Belongings

Sarkozy, who has repeatedly asserted his non-guilt, has said he will be carrying with him a life story of Jesus and a copy of The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas, in which an wrongly accused individual is condemned to jail but escapes to seek vengeance.

Sarkozy’s legal counsel, Jean-Michel Darrois, noted he was additionally taking noise blockers because prison can be disruptive at nighttime, and a few jumpers, because cells can be cold. Sarkozy has stated he is fearless of spending time in prison and aims to use it to write a book.

Possible Early Release

The duration is unknown, nevertheless, the length of time he will really remain in La Santé: his legal team have lodged for his premature release, and an reviewing judge will have to prove a risk of absconding, repeat offenses or influencing testimony to justify his continued detention.

French legal experts have proposed he may be freed in less than a month.