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The first paper catalog is published, in which teachers advertise their home exchange proposals. These were the early days of home exchange !
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The HomeExchange community is born in the US. In the late 90s, HomeExchange migrates from paper to digital and the concept gains more and more followers.
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Hollywood produces a film about two young women who find love through a home exchange organised through... HomeExchange.com.
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GuesttoGuest, a new French home exchange platform, was born with a novel concept: GuestPoints, which multiplies the possibilities of exchange.
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It's time to join forces. GuesttoGuest and HomeExchange combine to become one entity: the new HomeExchange, the global leader in home exchange.
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HomeExchange attracts more and more members. This is also the year of the acquisition of the British platform Love Home Swap, allowing all home exchangers to be brought together in one place.
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Born from an academic tradition, HomeExchange was revolutionized in the '90s by the internet, turning an analog concept into a global digital community.
In 2010, Emmanuel Arnaud and his wife tried to swap homes for a short trip to Florence but struggled to find anyone to host them. The problem? No one in Florence wanted to come to Paris. That led to an idea… “what if you didn’t have to do a direct swap? What if you could earn points for hosting and use those later, anywhere?”
A year later, driven by the conviction that hospitality should be free and authentic, GuesttoGuest was born to introduce flexibility through its "GuestPoint" system. The venture truly took flight when Emmanuel Arnaud met Charles-Edouard Girard. Their partnership was a masterclass in complementarity, blending Emmanuel’s visionary strategy with Charles-Edouard’s operational expertise. While Charles-Edouard was initially a skeptic, a single personal exchange experience convinced him that this was the future of travel.
The path wasn't seamless—the duo faced early technical failures and the immense challenge of building a trusted network from nothing. However, strategic fundraising and a series of European acquisitions provided the momentum for their most audacious move. In 2018, the "small Frenchies" bought out the American pioneer, HomeExchange, which was a significant "David vs. Goliath" moment for the European tech ecosystem - uniting under their flagship brand, HomeExchange.
HomeExchange’s mission is to foster a world where sharing brings people closer and makes life richer. **More than enabling home swaps, the platform is built on the belief that sharing leads to greater empathy, more meaningful travel, and a lighter impact on the planet. By using what already exists and encouraging travelers to live like locals, home exchanging supports local communities and creates genuine human connection.
This vision is fueling a growing global movement. HomeExchange is on track to reach 15 million overnights in 2026 and 500,000 members by 2029, reflecting not just increased participation, but a shift toward a more thoughtful, connected way of living.
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**Next40 (France)**
**Shortyz Awards 2024 (UK)**
World Travel Tech Awards 2025
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Together, we grow strong roots.
At HomeExchange, we believe growth starts with how we work together, with care, humility, and trust. We’re not a collection of individuals but a true team, where context matters more than hierarchy and collaboration replaces control. Driven by curiosity and continuous learning, we see every project, challenge, and mistake as a chance to grow stronger. Our roots are grounded in clear vision, data-informed decisions, and responsibility toward people and the planet, so as we grow higher, we grow wiser, together.