Here's what French ex-president Sarkozy packed in his prison bag as he begins 5-year sentence

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived at a prison in Paris on Tuesday to begin serving a 5-year sentence for a criminal conspiracy to finance his 2007 election campaign with funds from Libya. He is the first ex-leader of modern France to be imprisoned.

Sarkozy, hand-in-hand with his wife Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, left home before getting into a car and travelling to the La Sante prison. On his way to prison, Sarkozy said in a statement released on social media that “an innocent man” was being locked up. His journey from the presidential Elysee Palace to the notorious La Sante prison in Paris has captivated France.

Sarkozy's lawyers said the former president will be held in solitary confinement due to security reasons.

What's in his prison bag?

Sarkozy's lawyer Christophe Ingrain said on BFM TV that Sarkozy is planning to write a book about his prison experience. Jean-Michel Darrois, another of Sarkozy's lawyers, said on Tuesday that the former president got himself “mentally prepared” to be held in solitary confinement.

“First, he packed a bag with a few sweaters because it's cold in prison, and earplugs because it's very noisy,” Darrois said on France Info news broadcaster. “Isolation like what he's going to go through is painful, but he got himself prepared.”

“I'm not afraid of prison. I'll hold my head high, including in front of the doors of La Sante,” Sarkozy told La Tribune Dimanche newspaper. “I'll fight till the end.”

The paper said Sarkozy has his prison bag ready with clothes and the 10 family photos he is allowed to bring.

Sarkozy also told Le Figaro newspaper that he would bring three books — the maximum allowed — including Alexandre Dumas' “The Count of Monte Cristo,' in which the hero escapes from an island prison before seeking revenge.

The Paris judge ruled that Sarkozy would start to serve prison time without waiting for his appeal to be heard, due to “the seriousness of the disruption to public order caused by the offense.”  Under the ruling, the 70-year-old Sarkozy will only be able to file a request for release to the appeals court once he is behind bars, and judges will then have up to two months to process it.

Sarkozy's lawyers said a request for release will be filed very quickly.