Importance of Perpignan "House of Arrest"

The prison in Perpignan, France is called the "House of Arrest." Conditions in Perpignan are incredibly cruel. Frank is kept in a dark cell so small he cannot stand upright. His cell is not touched by either natural or artificial light. There is no furniture in the cell. Frank is provided only with a bucket to use as a toilet. The bucket is emptied only two or three times in the six months he is imprisoned; as a result, his cell is awash in his own feces and is covered with maggots as well.