🔗 Share this article

Maybe the nation's most fabled correctional facility, the La Santé prison – in which ex-president of France Nicolas Sarkozy is now serving a five year jail term for illegal conspiracy to solicit political donations from the Libyan government – remains the only remaining prison within the French capital's boundaries.

Located in the southern Montparnasse area of the capital, it was inaugurated in the year 1867 and was the site of no fewer than 40 capital punishments, the last in 1972. Partially closed for upgrades in 2014, the prison reopened half a decade later and holds more than 1,100 detainees.

Famous ex- detainees include poet Guillaume Apollinaire, the rogue trader Jérôme Kerviel, the public servant and Nazi collaborator Maurice Papon, the entrepreneur and political figure Bernard Tapie, the 70s terrorist Carlos the Jackal, and modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel.

Protected Wing for High-Profile Inmates

Prominent or endangered prisoners are usually accommodated in the prison's QB4 section for “vulnerable people” – the dubbed “VIP section” – in solitary cells, rather than the typical three-person cells, and kept alone during yard time for security reasons.

Located on the first floor, the unit has a set of uniform cells and a private exercise yard so prisoners are not forced to interact with other detainees – even though they continue to be exposed to whistles, taunts and mobile snapshots from neighboring units.

Mostly for that reason, Sarkozy is set to be housed in the isolation ward, which is in a isolated area. In reality, circumstances are much the same as in QB4: the past leader will be solitary in his unit and accompanied by a guard whenever he goes out.

“The aim is to avert any issues whatsoever, so we must block him from coming into contact with other prisoners,” a source within the facility revealed. “The most straightforward and best solution is to assign Nicolas Sarkozy straight to segregation.”

Cell Conditions

Both solitary and protected units are the same to those in other parts in the institution, roughly around 10 sq metres, with window blinds intended to limit communication, a sleeping cot, a compact desk, a shower unit, toilet, and landline telephone with authorized contacts only.

Sarkozy is provided with typical prison food but will also have access to the commissary, where he can acquire items to prepare himself, as well as to a individual recreation area, a gym and the library. He can lease a cooling unit for 7.50 euros a per month and a TV for fourteen euros fifteen.

Controlled Interactions

Apart from three allowed visits a each week, he will primarily be on his own – an advantage in La Santé, which despite its modernization is functioning at roughly twice its designed capacity of 657 prisoners. France’s jails are the third most packed in the EU bloc.

Personal Belongings

Sarkozy, who has consistently asserted his non-guilt, has said he will be taking with him a account of Jesus and a version of The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas, in which an innocent man is condemned to prison but flees to seek vengeance.

Sarkozy’s legal counsel, Jean-Michel Darrois, noted he was additionally taking hearing protection because the jail can be disruptive at night, and multiple sweaters, because cells can be chilly. Sarkozy has stated he is unafraid of spending time in jail and intends to use it to author a manuscript.

Possible Early Release

The duration is unknown, however, for how long he will really stay in La Santé: his legal team have submitted for his early release, and an appeals judge will have to prove a chance of escaping, further crimes or influencing testimony to justify his continued detention.

France's legal experts have indicated he could be out before a month passes.