Nicolas Sarkozy, once one of the world’s most powerful men, has begun his five-year prison sentence for criminal conspiracy over illegal campaign funds from Libya.
The 70-year-old has been ordered to serve his time at La Santé prison in Paris, a far cry from the Élysée Palace. He now finds himself confined to a ten-square-metre cell and away from his wife, Carla Bruni.
La Santé, located at 42 Rue de la Santé, is the last remaining prison within Paris city limits.
It has housed some of the most notorious inmates, from terrorist Carlos the Jackal to Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega and model agent Jean-Luc Brunel, a close associate of Jeffrey Epstein.
Despite reopening in 2019 after undergoing a five-year renovation, it remains one of France’s toughest and overcrowded prisons.
Sarkozy learned just how rough his new home was less than 24 hours after his arrival. It has been reported that two police officers have moved into the cell next to his for his protection.
It came after an inmate was filmed threatening him. In the clip, the prisoner says: ‘We’re going to avenge Gaddafi, we know everything, Sarko… we know everything. Give back the billions of dollars.’
Designed to hold around 657 inmates, La Sante currently houses more than double that number. It has long been criticised for its harsh conditions.
Both inmates and guards have described rowdy nights of consistent shouting that can last until the early hours. It has also been said that the atmosphere at the facility can quickly turn tense.
With murderers, drug addicts and gang members in the mix, violent disputes at La Santé are commonplace, despite authorities saying it’s now much safer.
In September, Sarkozy was found guilty of criminal association, making him the first French head of state in modern times to have to serve a prison sentence.
During his trial, prosecutors accused him of going into a ‘Faustian pact of corruption with one of the most unspeakable dictators of the last 30 years’.
They said that from 2005 to 2007, people linked to him arranged the transfer of up to €50million from Tripoli to help fund his election campaign. Sarkozy has always denied the charges.
Sarkozy, whose imprisonment began on Tuesday, has been placed under strict isolation in a separate security wing. The French justice ministry confirmed it was to ensure his safety and prevent violent incidents.
According to reports, isolation cells at La Sante are between nine and twelve square metres and include a small window, a bed, a shower, and a basic desk.
There are landline phones with pre-approved numbers to allow prisoners to contact family and their lawyers under strict supervision.
Sarkozy’s room is single-occupancy, unlike the standard three-person cells used for most inmates. He is not expected to share his exercise yard or mealtimes with any other prisoners.
Authorities have indicated that the goal is to try to ensure he avoids contact with his fellow inmates as much as possible. A source told Le Monde: ‘The simplest and most effective solution is to send Nicolas Sarkozy directly to solitary confinement.’
His wife, former first lady Bruni, and other family members will be able to visit him three times a week.
Last month, Bruni’s biographer said she would prioritise visiting her husband in prison. Besma Lahouri told The Times: ‘While she waits for her own fate to be decided, Bruni, an excellent cook, will visit her husband every day, I’m willing to bet.
‘Smart, bright and fiercely loyal, she will move heaven and earth to get him out of prison as quickly as possible.’
Sarkozy is also expected to be granted permission to rent a small fridge for €7.50 per month and a television, which will cost him €14.15.
Although sanitation has improved since its renovation, there was a time when La Sante had a grim reputation.
Reports from former medical staff, including prison doctor Véronique Vasseur in 2000, described infestations of cockroaches and rats, frequent violence, and widespread mental distress among inmates.
While the renovation in 2019 modernised many areas and introduced more light, space and ventilation, the prison remains infamous for the psychological strain on its inmates.
It has been suggested that the prison’s penchant for mental torture dates back decades, to a time when violence and punishment were gory and grim.
More than 40 executions took place within its courtyard before France abolished the death penalty in 1981. The last execution was carried out by guillotine in 1972.
Until the year 2000, prisoners were still segregated by ethnicity, with separate blocks assigned to inmates from North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa and Europe.
Life behind bars at La Santé is rigidly structured. Meals are served at fixed times, and inmates are locked in their cells by early evening.
Lights go out at night, but noise echoes through the old stone corridors. ‘You should bring a sleep mask and earplugs,’ warned businessman Pierre Botton, who served time there between 2020 and 2022.
‘The shouting can go on until 4am, especially from those craving crack.’ Despite the grim conditions, the prison’s management insists that it is safer and cleaner than in decades past.
Each wing is equipped with video surveillance, electronic locks and improved hygiene facilities. Inmates can access a small gym, library and limited exercise areas.
Sarkozy’s isolation cell is believed to be on the same floor as the QB4 unit, sometimes referred to as the ‘VIP wing’, which houses at-risk or high-profile inmates in single rooms.
La Santé’s overcrowding and tense atmosphere remain symbols of a wider crisis across the French penal system.
France has one of the highest prison overcrowding rates in Europe, according to the Council of Europe, ranking behind only Slovenia and Romania.
Sarkozy will be hoping his stay at La Sante will be as brief as possible. He has always maintained his innocence, and even before he set foot inside the grim walls of the prison, his lawyers had vowed to apply to get him released.
His legal team has filed an appeal, and judges have two months to decide whether his conviction will stand.
Some experts believe he could be released within weeks, but unless that happens, he will remain confined in one of France’s most notorious prisons, under constant surveillance and cut off from the outside world.
