Created in 2004 by the French Federation of Bicycle Users, it has been engraved on 220,000 bikes by 130 marking operators throughout France. The Bicycode consists in engraving the frame of your bike with a unique number. This same number will be listed and referenced in a national database which is accessible on www.bicycode.org.
The police and gendarmes fight against illicit resales. They use the Bicycode to find the owners of stolen bikes and subsequently return their bike to them. This is the only system recognized by the state and supported by the Home Office and Department of Energy in case of theft or recieved stolen bikes.
If you want to have your bike marked during your stay in the Vosges, you can do so at any time during the week at the Maison du Vélo (Bike House) in Épinal or Bouzey. Simply make an appointment. It will entail a fee of 5 € which includes the protective sticker that is placed on the marking as well as in your passport. The later will allow you to register your bike in the national file which is transmitted to the police and gendarmerie in case of loss or theft.
Your mark must be visible to be valid. It is recognizable by its blue anti-corrosion sticker that protects the frame and highlights the number assigned to the bike.
