​Here's how the former French president will spend his days in prison

Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy says he is not afraid of going to prison as he prepares to begin a five-year prison sentence.

Sarkozy, who is expected to be imprisoned in Paris' Sante prison on Tuesday, told French newspaper La Tribune Dimanche that he has already packed his bags and feels calm.

The former leader is being imprisoned after being convicted of trying to collect electoral funds from Libya in 2007, TCh reports.

"I am not afraid of prison. I will hold my head high, even before the gates of Sante," Sarkozy said, adding that he will not ask for any special privileges.

According to the newspaper, the disgraced former president will be placed in solitary confinement for security reasons.

He will stay on the top floor of the isolation ward, separated from other prisoners, and will be accompanied at all times by a prison guard.

Sarkozy will be allowed to make two visits a day to one of the prison's three gyms and exercise yards.

Meanwhile, his wife, Italian supermodel Carla Bruni, will reportedly visit him every day during his five-year sentence.

Sarkozy said he does not want to complain or be pitied during his time in prison.

He added that he plans to spend his time in prison writing a book.

Sarkozy, who led France from 2007 to 2012, was found guilty of criminal conspiracy in connection with efforts by his close associates to secure funds for his successful 2007 presidential campaign from Libya during the rule of the late dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

The former leader has always maintained his innocence and has appealed the court's decision.

It is the first time a former French head of state has been found guilty of attempting to use foreign money in this way.

Sarkozy, who was elected in 2007 but lost his bid for re-election in 2012, denied any wrongdoing during a three-month trial earlier this year, which also involved 11 co-defendants, including three former ministers.

Despite numerous legal scandals that have darkened his presidential legacy, Sarkozy remains an influential figure in right-wing politics in France and in entertainment circles, thanks to his marriage to Italian supermodel Carla Bruni.

Sarkozy's conviction raises questions about the fate of his wife, who was charged with corruption last year and could face an even longer sentence than Sarkozy if found guilty. She has denied any wrongdoing.