Navelli is in the valley floor right on the highway ss17. we've been through it several times and it is a typical village of the region. It is not in the National park however so dosen't enjoy the historical protection the villages within the Gran Sasso do. If you have a place in France why buy in Italy? What size house are you looking for? There is a palace for sale in Ofena for 230,000 euro if you want something big! You have to have a codice fiscale to buy in Italy. This is like a social security number and is used for all transactions (paying property taxes etc.) When you open a bank account in Italy they can give you one right away whereas our local Italian vice consul said it would take 2 years working through him! I don't know if Italian banks or property owners would accept a check drawn on a french bank and in addition with an Italian Bank you can arrange for them to recieve and pay utility bills. There are dozens of villages in this little area all in the National Park. Ofena, Carrufo, Villa Santa Lucia, Castel Del Monte, Calascio, Santo Stefano or across the valley Capestrano with hundreds of places for sale. Most of Italian Real Estate is not advertised. There will be a sign and phone number on the building or one of the locals will tell you "that house is for sale". If you are interested I can give the name and phone number of a 3rd. cousin in Carrufo who is acting as a scout for the real estate firm Housearounditaly based in Pescara. He speaks english and would know what is for sale and wether it is a good deal or not. Although not to many houses have sold in the last year the asking prices seem to have gone up 40%. There are now English, Scotsman, Danes and Canadians in our village and several Dutchman are seriously looking.