🗼 Île-de-France
Paris and its region: museums, monuments and neighbourhood life. Exchanging a Paris apartment means seeing the city like a local, far from the queues.
Home and apartment exchange in France
From Paris to Provence, from the Atlantic coast to the Alps: with Homeforswap, exchange your home and travel all over France without paying for a single night of accommodation.
France is the world’s number-one home-exchange country. Its variety — sea, mountains, countryside, big cities — and its rich heritage make it an ideal destination, both for welcoming travellers and for setting off yourself.
A weekend in Paris, a week on the Basque coast, summer in Provence or a ski season in the Alps: with Homeforswap, you string together stays across France without ever paying for accommodation. You lend your home, another member lends you theirs — and everyone wins.
Why France is so well suited to home exchange
🗺️ A destination for every mood
Atlantic and Mediterranean beaches, Alpine peaks, southern villages, the countryside of central France, regional capitals: France offers the equivalent of ten holiday countries.
🤝 A dense and active community
France has the largest number of listings on Homeforswap. Your chances of finding — and being found — are therefore especially high, all year round.
💶 A lighter holiday budget
Accommodation is often the biggest expense of a trip. By exchanging it, a family easily saves several hundred euros a week — enough to travel more often.
Where to exchange your home in France
Every region has its strength. Here are the major exchange destinations in France to start your search.
☀️ Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur
Lavender, calanques, hilltop villages and the Mediterranean. A home in Provence or on the Côte d’Azur turns a simple stay into an art of living.
🌊 Nouvelle-Aquitaine
From Bordeaux to the Basque Country, the Atlantic coast, surfing, vineyards and the forests of the Landes. A family-friendly, food-loving region, highly prized for exchanges.
⛵ Brittany
Wild coastlines, characterful ports and crêperies. Brittany is best discovered from a local home, to the rhythm of the tides and markets.
🏔️ Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes
The Alps in winter and summer, Lyon and its bouchons, the volcanoes of Auvergne. Ideal for alternating mountains, city and fresh air.
🍇 Occitania
Toulouse, the Mediterranean, the Pyrenees and the villages of the South-West. Sun, food and heritage at a friendly price thanks to exchange.
🏰 Loire Valley & Centre
The châteaux, the gardens and the gentle Loire way of life. A perfect region for a cultural family stay, less than two hours from Paris.
🥂 Grand Est & Normandy
Champagne, Alsatian villages, the D-Day beaches and Normandy cliffs. Northern France is full of little-known exchange destinations.
How to nail your first home exchange in France with Homeforswap
- Create your listing with care — At least ten photos, an honest description of your home and neighbourhood, nearby shops and transport: that’s what makes people want to contact you.
- Keep your destinations broad — List several regions you’re interested in rather than a single city. This multiplies your exchange opportunities, especially during school holidays.
- Exchange with confidence — Chat with the other household, ask your questions, read the reviews and agree on the details (cleaning, pets, car) before confirming. An exchange agreement formalises the deal.
- Prepare a welcome guide — Wi-Fi code, how the appliances work, good local spots, the Sunday market: these little touches turn a simple home loan into a real immersion.
They exchanged their home in France
« Two weeks in a house facing the ocean, in the Landes, without a euro spent on accommodation. In exchange, a family from Bordeaux enjoyed our apartment in Paris. Nobody lost out, everyone won. »
« We were afraid to lend our home. After three exchanges in France, it became obvious: we travel more, we meet wonderful people, and we always come back to a spotless home. »
Frequently asked questions
Two households agree to exchange their homes for a set period, reciprocally or not. You stay in France for free, and you host another member in turn.
Signing up and posting your listing are free. An annual membership then gives access to unlimited exchanges for 12 months, with no per-night fees.
Yes: an exchange transfers no ownership rights. Just check that your lease allows lending free of charge and inform your home insurer if needed.
No. A city studio can be exchanged for a house in the countryside. All that matters is that both households agree on what has value for their holiday.
Also worth a look: travelling in Europe · what is home exchange · how it works · all our destinations