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Perhaps the nation's most notorious prison, La Santé – where former French president Nicolas Sarkozy has begun a five year prison sentence for illegal conspiracy to obtain political donations from Libya – remains the sole surviving prison within the Paris city limits.

Situated in the southern Montparnasse district of the capital, it was inaugurated in 1867 and was the scene of no fewer than 40 death penalties, the last in 1972. Partially shut down for refurbishment in 2014, the institution resumed operations five years later and holds in excess of 1,100 detainees.

Famous past prisoners include the poet Guillaume Apollinaire, the unauthorized trader Jérôme Kerviel, the government official and Nazi collaborator Maurice Papon, the businessman and political figure Bernard Tapie, the militant from the seventies Carlos the Jackal, and modeling agent Jean-Luc Brunel.

Special Treatment for High-Profile Prisoners

Notable or at-risk prisoners are generally placed in the prison's QB4 section for “vulnerable people” – the dubbed “premium block” – in individual cells, rather than the typical three-inmate rooms, and isolated during outdoor activities for security reasons.

Located on the first floor, the section has 19 identical cells and a dedicated recreation area so inmates are not obliged to mix with fellow inmates – even though they remain subject to whistles, insults and smartphone photos from adjacent cells.

Mostly for this reason, Sarkozy is set to be housed in the segregated section, which is in a distinct block. Practically, the environment are largely identical as in the QB4 ward: the former president will be solitary in his unit and supervised by a corrections officer whenever he leaves it.

“The aim is to avert any problems whatsoever, so we must stop him from encountering other prisoners,” a prison source commented. “The most straightforward and best method is to assign Nicolas Sarkozy directly to isolation.”

Living Quarters

Both solitary and protected rooms are identical to those elsewhere in the prison, averaging about 10 sq metres, with window blinds designed to restrict interaction, a bed, a compact desk, a shower, lavatory, and landline telephone with pre-recorded numbers.

Sarkozy is provided with regular meals but will also have the option to the commissary, where he can acquire groceries to make his own meals, as well as to a individual recreation area, a exercise room and the prison library. He can pay for a fridge for 7.50 euros a per month and a television set for 14.15 euros.

Restricted Visits

Besides three allowed visits a per week, he will mainly be by himself – a privilege in the facility, which despite its modernization is functioning at roughly double its designed capacity of 657 inmates. The country's jails are the third most congested in the EU bloc.

Prison Supplies

Sarkozy, who has consistently asserted his innocence, has said he will be carrying with him a life story of Jesus and a edition of The Count of Monte Cristo, by the author Alexandre Dumas, in which an falsely convicted person is sentenced to jail but breaks out to seek vengeance.

Sarkozy’s legal counsel, Jean-Michel Darrois, noted he was also taking hearing protection because the jail can be loud at nighttime, and several sweaters, because rooms can be chilly. Sarkozy has stated he is unafraid of being in prison and aims to use it to author a publication.

Possible Early Release

It is unclear, though, for how long he will in fact be housed in the facility: his lawyers have already filed for his conditional release, and an reviewing judge will must establish a potential of escaping, repeat offenses or witness-tampering to validate his continued detention.

France's legal experts have indicated he might be released before a month passes.