Saint-Martin-en-Bouge, France – In a dramatic and unprecedented turn of events, Henri “Papillon” LeClerc successfully escaped from the infamous Chateau d’If prison earlier this morning, marking the culmination of a meticulously planned and extraordinarily persistent effort. Authorities are currently engaged in a large-scale manhunt, with significant resources deployed across the region.

LeClerc, a convicted murderer serving a life sentence, has been incarcerated at the Chateau d’If for over a decade. Despite repeated attempts at suicide and a seemingly unwavering determination to remain within the prison walls, he has consistently demonstrated an extraordinary level of ingenuity and resilience. Over the past eighteen months, prison guards and officials have been increasingly baffled by the seemingly inexplicable appearance of small, perfectly-shaped shavings of stone within his cell. Investigations initially dismissed these as a bizarre, albeit unsettling, anomaly. However, a sharp-eyed sergeant noticed the shavings were consistently forming a complex geometric pattern, leading to the realization that LeClerc was systematically tunneling his way to freedom.

“It was… unsettling, to say the least,” stated Sergeant Dubois, a veteran of the Chateau d’If. “We were convinced he was simply losing his mind. To think he’d been carving out a passage beneath the floorboards… it’s almost unbelievable.”

The escape itself occurred at approximately 03:15 hours. LeClerc reportedly collapsed through a newly excavated opening in the prison floor, landing in a small, disused storage room adjacent to the outer walls. He immediately vanished into the surrounding countryside. Initial reports suggest he carried only a small knife and a rudimentary map, painstakingly drawn using charcoal and the prison’s stone dust.

“He’s a stubborn one, that LeClerc,” commented Warden Moreau during a hastily arranged press briefing. “He’s always been…difficult. I can’t say I’m entirely surprised by this. But I confess, I’m profoundly disappointed. He could have built a life here, a simple one, perhaps, but a life nonetheless.”

The manhunt is being led by a specialized task force comprised of both national and local law enforcement. Interpol has also been notified, anticipating potential international complications. Authorities are urging the public to remain vigilant and report any sightings of LeClerc, who is described as a slender man of approximately 35 years of age, with dark hair and eyes. The implications of this escape are significant, raising serious questions about security protocols within the Chateau d’If and prompting a wider review of prison conditions and inmate management strategies.