🔗 Share this article What to Expect the Former President in the La Santé Facility and What Belongings Did He Bring? Perhaps France’s most notorious prison, the La Santé prison – in which ex-president of France Nicolas Sarkozy is now serving a five year incarceration for illegal conspiracy to obtain campaign funds from Libya – remains the sole surviving prison inside the city of Paris. Situated in the south part of Montparnasse neighborhood of the city, it opened in 1867 and was the site of no fewer than 40 capital punishments, the final one in 1972. Partially closed for refurbishment in 2014, the institution resumed operations half a decade later and holds in excess of 1,100 detainees. Famous ex- inmates comprise the poet Guillaume Apollinaire, the financial trader Jérôme Kerviel, the government official and collaborator with the Nazis Maurice Papon, the entrepreneur and political figure Bernard Tapie, the terrorist from the 1970s Carlos the Jackal, and talent scout Jean-Luc Brunel. Protected Wing for High-Profile Prisoners Prominent or at-risk detainees are generally accommodated in the prison's QB4 unit for “protected persons” – the often called “premium block” – in solitary cells, not the typical three-inmate rooms, and kept alone during exercise periods for safety concerns. Located on the first floor, the ward has a set of uniform cells and a reserved outdoor space so detainees are not forced to mingle with other prisoners – while they remain subject to calls, jeers and mobile snapshots from adjacent cells. Mostly for that reason, Sarkozy is set to be housed in the solitary confinement unit, which is in a isolated area. In reality, the environment are much the same as in the protected unit: the ex-president will be solitary in his unit and escorted by a prison officer each time he leaves it. “The goal is to prevent any problems whatsoever, so we need to block him from meeting any inmates,” a prison source stated. “The most straightforward and best approach is to place Nicolas Sarkozy immediately to solitary confinement.” Cell Conditions Each of the isolation and VIP cells are identical to those in other parts in the jail, averaging around 10 sq metres, with window coverings intended to limit interaction, a sleeping cot, a compact desk, a shower unit, lavatory, and fixed-line phone with pre-recorded numbers. Sarkozy is provided with typical prison food but will additionally have the option to the prison store, where he can buy food to prepare himself, as well as to a small solitary outdoor space, a gym and the library. He can lease a refrigerator for €7.50 a monthly and a television for €14.15. Limited Social Contact Besides three authorized meetings a each week, he will primarily be by himself – a luxury in La Santé, which in spite of its recent renovation is operating at about twice its designed capacity of 657 inmates. The country's prisons are the third most congested in the EU. Personal Belongings Sarkozy, who has steadfastly maintained his innocence, has stated he will be bringing with him a life story of Jesus Christ and a version of The Count of Monte Cristo, by Alexandre Dumas, in which an wrongly accused individual is given a sentence to jail but breaks out to take revenge. Sarkozy’s legal counsel, Jean-Michel Darrois, noted he was also bringing hearing protection because prison can be loud at night, and several sweaters, because cells can be cool. Sarkozy has commented he is not scared of spending time in prison and intends to make use of the period to write a publication. Possible Early Release The duration is unknown, though, the length of time he will actually remain in the prison: his attorneys have already filed for his conditional release, and an judge on appeal will must establish a risk of absconding, repeat offenses or influencing testimony to warrant his continued detention. French jurists have indicated he might be released in less than a month.