Hi there, we did a house swap last summer, through Homeexchange.com. It was a fantastic success and we will be doing another this year hopefully. We went to a house in Brittany. they had children of similar ages and it was great to be able to use their bikes and toys. Ask about shops, parking, noise, shops, etc, also about washing machines, etc. Just make sure you are clear what is expected if they have a garden (ie, eating vegetables, watering, etc.) I have to say they left their place more immaculate than they will have found at our house! They had emptied entire fridge, and most of freezer. We had left them a couple of shelves! Leave beds with clean sheets and they will leave clean sheets for your return. We (and they) just left space in wardrobes and some shelf/drawer space for their clothes. They left us piles of local goodies to eat and drink. We left them a guidebook! I would leave some wine, etc., next time! Also, leave good info about local restaurants, walks, parks, supermarkets, etc. They will buy all their own food, but the rule is (I think) to just replace whatever you use.

Let me know if you want any more info! We had a fabulous (and very cheap!) fortnight in a fabulous area. It's a great concept.

I'm in the initial stages of negotiating a home exchange holiday with a family in France, as I've never done this before I wondered if anyone had any advice. What sort of questions should I be asking them at this stage? And also when it comes to the exchange itself what should I expect? For instance, do I need to clear out wardrobes? What 'supplies' of ours is it reasobale for them to help themselves to (washing powder, tea bags etc). It seems like a great way to holiday and I really want to make sure it's a success for both parties.