At Leclerc in Cogolin, parking will soon be limited for shopping

The hum of vibrating trolley wheels mingles with the purr of car engines, turning the aisles, looking for a space. The sound of a trolley's grille being extracted from its stack, of a bag being unfolded before the slamming of a trunk. An atmosphere, while not melodious, is immediately identifiable, linked to a specific location, a supermarket parking lot. Here, with a rooster depicted on its facade, is the Leclerc in Cogolin.

At the entrance to the surface, bollards and barriers have been installed at the parking gates and in the underground parking lot. Some customers, confused by this new arrangement, are asking themselves before going to do their shopping: " I didn't get a ticket at the entrance. Will I be able to leave by showing my receipt? " Nothing is requested for the moment. The fence and the machines are still inactive but very soon, they will come into operation, changing the rules of access to vehicles. Customers will have two hours of free parking, after which time they will have to pay the sum of €8/hour, which is the rate that will be imposed for visitors. Note that until now, the park was freely accessible during opening hours and closed at night.

Difficulty finding a place

For some, like Martin, this operation will not have much impact on their daily lives: " We come once or twice a week. We don't stay long. Just to do our shopping. " The decision could even make this household chore easier, as it does for Marise: " They're doing well. It's very difficult to park now. Two hours to go shopping is more than enough."

But it's precisely this limited time that's making other users grind their teeth. " I'm a disabled person. Two hours is a bit tight, sometimes I need more time, " says Myriam, getting out of her car, parked in a blue space. Gym bag in hand, she walks to the clinic: " I'm going to do my physical activity but I have to park at Leclerc. There are no disabled spaces anywhere else or they're very far from where I need to go. I can't cross the city on foot."

Deadline too short

For her, it's certain that once the change takes effect, they will lose customers: " 8 euros an hour! Even in the port of Saint-Tropez, it's cheaper. "

Another consideration for regulars is the impact on the brasserie. " If you're a Leclerc customer, you should be able to stay longer. Sometimes, several people come, you can stop to eat, have a drink, look at the jewelry, and then do your shopping. If you go over the allowed time, it immediately becomes expensive," he says. Caroline. " The decision makes sense; it's their parking lot. But the prices are too high, and how will they cope with the new businesses that are expected to arrive soon?" wonders Isabelle.

Because at the end of the parking lot, backhoes are still at work with craftsmen busy fitting out the exterior of an extension almost ready to open.

It is expected to welcome new stores, but there will still be a need for space for new customers. Hence this measure. For Nelson and Billy, the most conciliatory solution may be found in the period of application of this method: " It's not easy to find space, especially in the summer. Could they adopt this method only during the season?"

Asked by Var-matin, the group did not communicate a date for the implementation of this operation and did not justify its position before the publication of this article.