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Ten Top Tips for street parking and unguarded stopovers

  Theft prevention. For your own safety, when parking on public roads or unguarded stopovers, you may consider the following suggestions:





1. If you park after dark, choose always a well-lit area –where parking is allowed for motorhomes. Darkness has always been a good robbers’ ally.

2. When parking, according to your vehicle type, check that you are in the designated area marked for parking. Avoid unwanted surprises.

3. If possible, do not park in crowded tourist spots, very central areas or busy places. Remember that well known locations and famous landmarks are also very popular for thieves. 

4. Lock your doors properly –including when you are resting or sleeping-, check all windows and compartments.

5. If staying overnight, it is advisable to stay in a stopover or designated site; a guarded place is always recommended for long stays. 

6. Don’t leave valuables near the windscreen or dashboard; avoid being a target for thieves.

7. If you carry a bicycle or motorbike on the rear of your motorhome, make sure they are properly secured, even when you are parked. 

8. If your motorhome has an attached rear ladder change it for a foldable one; thus it can removed when not in use. Don't make it easy to climb up your vehicle.

9. Write down the address of your parking location; in case of emergency, it will be much easier to call the police, medical assistance, etc.

10. If you plan to make a long trip, especially abroad, you should have available the following:
  • A notebook with the main emergency numbers (although 112 is the emergency number for the European Union, there may be countries -such as those recently incorporated- that use local number);
  • Addresses and telephone numbers of consulates belonging to the sites to visit;
  • Next of kin or someone who can be contacted in case of emergency.
P.S.:
It is advisable to carry photocopies of your passport, ID card and driving licence (also for your family and/or accompanying travellers); above all, if you travel abroad, in case of loss or theft, it will be a great help for identification and further processing to recover the documents.

Source: www.autocaravaning.eu

FICC, International Rallies since 1933 - Camping Caravanning and Motorcaravanning

The FICC (Fédération Internationale de Camping, Caravaning et Autocaravaning) with headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, celebrates international rallies since 1933.

This Rally (in which many motorhomes participate), is the most famous in the world. It has been held without interruption, except during the Second World War, from 1940 to 1946. Since the FICC Rally began, in 1933, it has always been the most important of the international rallies. It is celebrated annually in different countries of Europe and other continents.

In its beginnings, until 1955, the majority of participants attended mainly with tents and caravans. As time went by, between the years 1955 to 1960, the attendance of caravans was already the majority. Nowadays motorhomes represent, in many cases, more than 50% of participants. While caravanners are decreasing, motorhome attendance is increasing each year. The tendency of this group is not only in Europe, but also in other continents.

It should be noted that some of these events are held on different continents in the same year, but not on the same dates.

So far there are 3 countries that have held the largest number of these international rallies since 1933: the United Kingdom, Germany and France.

The original founding countries of the FICC in 1933 are are the following: Belgium, France, Italy, Spain, The Nederlands, United Kingdom and what was then Czechoslovakia.

YEAR

COUNTRY    

TOWN

1933

United Kingdom

Hampton Court, London

1934

France

Marly le Roi, Isla de France

1935

Belgium

Bilvoorde.

1936

Spain

Caldes de Montbui, Barcelona

1937

Germany

Wiesbaden (capital of the federal state of Hesse)

1938

Italy

Meina-Stresa, northwest of milan

1939

Suitzerland

Zurich

1947

The Nederlands

Heemstede

1948

United Kingdom

Sidcup (London, South East)

1949

France

Fontainebleu (70 km south of Paris)

1950

Belgium

Spa (provincia de Lieja)

1951

Italy

Florence

1952

Suitzerland

Neuchâtel

1953

Denmark

Copenhagen

1954

Austria

Innsbruck

1955

Germany

Saarlouis (Saarland federal state)

1956

France

Perpignan

1957

Germany

Stuttgart

1958

Belgium

Stockel (east of Brussels)

1959

United Kingdom

Carshalton (south of London)

1960

France

St. Jean-en-Royans (Rhône-Alpes region)

1961

Italy

Rome

1962

Germany

Ruhpolding (Traunstein district, Bavaria)

1963

Denmark

Copenhaguen

1964

Israel

Tel Aviv

1965

The Nederlands

Wassenaar (near The Hague)

1966

Hungary

Balantonfüred (on the shore of Lake Balaton)

1967

Austria

Laxenburg (south side of Vienna)

1968

Sweden

Norrköping (province of Östergötland)

1969

United Kingdom

Woburn Abbey (southeast of Milton Keynes)

1970

France

Bricqueville (Lower Normandy)

1971

Italy

Otranto  (province of Lecce, Puglia region)

1972

Germany

Lechbruck (bavaria region)

1973

Turkey

Istanbul – Kylos

1974

Eslovaquia

Vysoké - Tatry (High tatras)

1975

Portugal

Santo André

1976

Israel

Ascalón (at 55 km from Tel Aviv)

1976

Germany

Bad Gandersheim (Lower Saxony)

1977

Belgium

Mol (Antwerp)

1978

Sweden

Jönköping (350 km southwest of Stockholm)

1979

United Kingdom

Cheltenham (County of Gloucestershire)

1980

Bulgaria

Albena (Black sea Coast)

1981

Finland

Maisansalo (Tampere)

1982

Spain

Vilopriu (Bajo Ampurdán, Girona)

1983

Japan

Onoji Park (Tokio)

1983

France

Saint-Parres-aux-Tertres

1984

Poland

Leba (Pomerania - Baltic Sea coast, north of Poland)

1985

Portugal

Ericeira (Mafra) - at 20 km from Sintra

1986

Hungary

Debrecen (eastern end)

1987

Denmark

Herning (Jutland peninsula)

1988

Ireland

Punchestown (County of Kildare)

1989

Austria

Vienna

1990

United Kingdom

Shepton Mallet (Somerset district, England)

1991

Slovakia

Tatra – Lommica

1991

Taiwan

Fulling (near Taipei, the capital)

1992

Canada

Bromont (Quebec)

1993

France

Pulvesheim (Upper Rhine, Alsace region)

1994

Japan

Hamada (Hiroshima prefecture)

1994

Finland

Joensuu (North Karelia region - bordering Russia)

1995

Portugal

Aljezur (Faro district)

1996

Hungary

Alsóörs (on the shores of Lake Balaton)

1997

Ireland

Millstreet (County of Cork)

1998

Poland

Leba  (Pomerania - Baltic Sea coast, north of Poland)

1999

United Kingdom

Lincoln (County of Lincolnshire)

2000

Germany

Lechbruck (Bavaria region)

2001

Norway

Selbu (province of Sor - Trondelag)

2002

Belgium

Ghent (province of East Flanders)

2002

South Korea

Donghae City

2002

Canada

St. Jean-Sur Richelieu (province of Quebec)

2003

Spain

Montmeló, Formula 1 circuit (Barcelona)

2004

Finland

Oulu (Gulf of Bothnia coast)

2005

Italy

Bolonia

2006

Turkey

Izmir Gümüldür

2006

Poland

Wroclaw /Bratislavia (Lower Saxony)

2007

Irlanda

Millstreet (County of Kildare)

2008

South Korea

Gapyeong (province of Gyeonggi)

2009

United Kingdom

Ipswich (county town of Suffolk)

2010

Croatia

Umag (near the Slovenian border)

2011

Czech Republic

Prague

2012

Canada

Montmagny (Quebec)

2013

Poland

Slawa, Gmina Swidwin (West Pomerania)

2014

Finland

Pori (known as the city of jazz)

2015

Croatia

Isla de Pag, Novalja (Dalmatian coast)

2016

Portugal

Ponte de Lima (district of Viana do Castelo)

2017

Turkey

Datça (Datça Peninsula, Southwest of Turkey)

2018

Germany

Berlin (Schönwalde-Glien, 30 km from the city centre)

2019

France

Châteaubriant (Department of the Loire-Atlantique)

2020

Italy

Ostia Antica, Roma (cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic)

2021

Spain

A Guarda (Pontevedra)

2022

Russia

Moscow (due to the war with Ukraine, it is possible that European participants and even from other continents will not attend)

2022

China

Cancelled due to the COVID pandemic


Finally, this famous Rally brought together more than 5,000 units (caravans, motorhomes, tents), over 14,000 people, including youth, in a single event. However, in recent years, the number of participants has been much lower. Nowadays, the participation is an average of 500 units, approximately.