Originally Posted by htb
So what would you call the area between the terminals if it's not French or EU territory? I don't think you would have been allowed to transfer landside if you hadn't had the right credentials. Whether they stamp your passport or not is a different matter I think.
Okay, more specifically I transited through French territory but without officially entering the EU. That's practically what one does on an airside transfer anyways: you're obviously on that country's land, but not cleared into the country. Only difference here is that I was transferring through a non-secure landside zone that I could have potentially left instead of staying in a secure airside zone.
The first immigration officer told me that since I was in transit I would have to stay within the airport (of course I could've entered the EU if I wanted to, but there was no reason to at that point.) I assume that if I didn't show up at my connecting terminal and get checked off there, or ask immigration to process me into the country, the French police would probably have been out looking for me.