Welcome to SHAPE Det Casteau
CFPO 5048 7010 Casteau, Belgium

Photo: Det Casteau SHAPE

Welcome to the Canadian Forces at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) website! SHAPE, commanded by the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR), is a strategic level NATO headquarters, and is directly involved in NATO operations around the world, including of course Afghanistan and the Balkans.

Our Canadian Contingent is made up of 80 families, and we number about 250 strong. Our 73 CF members work either in SHAPE itself as part of the international staff, at the Canadian Forces Support Unit - Europe (CFSU(E)) Detachment Casteau providing support to all DND representatives and their families here, in the National Military Representative (NMR) Office representing the Canadian Forces at SHAPE, or at our medical and dental clinics providing key services to all of our families. We also have our own Canadian School Section that offers bilingual instruction to children in grades 1 - 8. We have a very active community: our Mess, CFMRC, and PSP organizations are fully engaged, and just about every day, we have something going on.

Belgium has a diverse and unique culture, and we are situated in the French-speaking Wallonie region in the south of Belgium. SHAPE is right besides the town of Casteau, and just 10 minutes down the road from the bustling city of Mons. Brussels is a quick 45 minute drive to the north, and France is only 20 minutes away to the south. In about two hours, you can reach Paris, London, Cologne, and Luxembourg, and of course, all of the incredible cities and towns right in Belgium, like Bruges, Antwerp, Liège, and Brussels. Amsterdam, Dusseldorf, and Frankfurt are just a little farther away, and the remarkable train, plane, and highway networks make travel a pleasingly simple adventure. Belgium is also rich in WWI history, with Vimy Ridge, Ypres, and Passchendaele all located near us.

Please feel free to browse this website and learn a little bit more about us. Cheers!


LCol Saint-Yves
CO/ DNMR

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