alan h's activity

Questions Asked

Tesco and Eurotunnel[Copied from another Forum]If you shop at Tesco you'll probably be rewarded with Cash Vouchers.  What you may not know is that you can exchange these for 3x their value with Eurotunnel.

Sun, 03/18/2018 - 16:50

ITALIAN GENEALOGYI am researching my family tree [all UK based], and belong to a Genealogy Group here in the UK - its part of the U3A [an organisation for 'retired persons who want to do things rather than sit at home all d

Wed, 01/04/2017 - 05:24

Cancelling a Eurotunnel Booking I have had to cancel a return trip on Eurotunnel [Car + 2 + Dog], as I have to go into hospital for an op.The booking was 'non-refundable'.I rang them to cancel and they confirmed it was non-

Thu, 05/26/2016 - 08:00

IMU - Its still around I thought this had disappeared in the new tax system, but my Comune website says the first payment for 2014 is due by 16th June Paid it via my bank today - emailed them the F24

Fri, 06/13/2014 - 08:56

Looks like the days of the easy/cheap trip to italy through Switzerland are numbered. Apparently, the Swiss government has decided to raise the cost of the vignette to 100 Swiss Francs for 2015. They are introducing a two month vignette for 40SF,

Sun, 09/01/2013 - 15:58

Petrol prices in France are now comparable with the UK, except on the French Autoroutes.One option is to fill up at the L'Eclerc superstores with their SP95 E10 petrol [its a petrol with some ethylene in - generally used in France - which is OK fo

Thu, 07/11/2013 - 04:25

For a change this year we drove down to Italy via Besancon  [avoiding most tolls by taking some good french non-motorways.]However - Besancon roads are in total chaos as they are digging them up to lay tram routes - this will take about 2 more yea

Wed, 07/10/2013 - 16:44

Can you help?I've just completed making a 'variation' of Limoncello. The only change is that I dispensed with the lemons, I and substituted Sloes that I picked here in the UK at the end of last year.

Sun, 01/20/2013 - 09:10

In today's GuardianRyanair have announced their credit card will now be liable to the same charges as other credit cards - so the end of no charge bookings

Sat, 11/10/2012 - 09:07

Comments posted

Sun, 11/24/2019 - 06:42

What we did when we bought our holiday home in Italy was:-
1. Decide on area - we did this visiting places we thought would do, with ½ûÂþÌìÌà friends, who gave us a overview of the area
2. Using ½ûÂþÌìÌà Yellow Pages (Pagine Gialle?) We got names of estate agents in the area, and by googling them got their website and email details.
3. Booked a weeks holiday in the area and arranged, by email (in ½ûÂþÌìÌÃ- Google translate if all else fails) meetings with half a dozen agents - max 2 a day. They were all given via email our requirements - location, no of bedrooms, land etc etc, and price - so in theory they would take us to appropriate places. (Worked pretty well).
4. Found the one we liked and offered 40% below asking price . Was accepted and we've enjoyed the ace for over 15 years.

Good luck

Thu, 11/21/2019 - 15:29

If you copy the web address in stevemonkseatons post and put it into 'Google Translate " you might get a fair(ish) English version of the page.

Wed, 11/20/2019 - 11:18

These sites may help  [I don't know how accurate they are]http://english.controleradar.org/  https://radars.securite-routiere.gouv.fr/#/https://www.motoringresearch.com/car-news/french-super-speed-camera/ Good luck  

Sat, 11/09/2019 - 05:07

GeoffAnnn,I'm sure youve already tried this, but I Googled "Italy earthquake insurance" and it threw out some possible insurers, who say they do it.  [but caveat "ubject to the area that the property is in"] 

Tue, 10/15/2019 - 10:07

Try Googling something like   "Lucca  expats  forum"  -  should throw something up

Fri, 08/09/2019 - 11:30

If you want 'cheap' hotel - don't stay in Venice.
We stayed in Padova and went into Venice on the train. Saved a fortune.

Tue, 07/16/2019 - 07:03

Toll free route through France [motorwys passing by the following];-

  • Calais - Dunkirk - Lille - Mons - Luxembourg [Fill up with fuel at motorway services just before leaving Luxembourg - cheapest petrol on route] - Metz - Nancy.  All motorway with no tolls
  • Nancy - Mulhouse [or Nancy - Colmar - Mulhouse] much dual carriage way, except when going over the 'hills'.
  • Mulhouse into Germany and down autobahn towards Basel [not Mulhouse - Basel direct]
  • Turn off onto autobahn to Lorrach and Rheinfelden and into Switzerland ...............Note - pick up Swiss Motorway Vignette at Bad Bellingham services on first Autiobahn
  • On to Lucerne and Gotthard Tunnel.  [Thus avoiding risk of traffic/customs problems in Basle]
  • on to Italy, paying as necessary on ½ûÂþÌìÌà Autostradas.

Journey time from Calais to Pisa - approx 16 hoursStops to suit what time you started from UK -mprobably after 3 hrs on day 1, 8 hrs on day 2 and leavibng approx 5 hrs into PisaSuggest the Eurotunnel rather than the Ferries - will save about 2 hrs [minimum] on journey time [unless you need a decent break and a meal -motherwise the Tunnel is so much simpler] Good luck

Thu, 07/04/2019 - 07:45

My comune did 'revalue' my property, causing the IMU paymrnt to increase. But if they did that to you they should have told you, or your accountant.

Thu, 07/04/2019 - 07:43

Thanks - that's what I thought was the case, but its good to get feedback from you

Wed, 05/22/2019 - 15:26

Don't know the legal rquirements, but whenever I've seen bombola used, they have always been placed outside the building [on balcony or ground level].  Having them inside the building is a recipe for disasterTalk to a Geometra, he/she would know the legalities.