Home Exchange Secrets: How to Travel France for Free (Almost!)
Join Us in France Travel Podcast
Annie Sargent
4.8 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 18 January 2026
⏱️ 51 minutes
🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS
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Summary
Ever thought it might be possible to stay in Paris for 20 nights without paying rent? In this episode, Annie Sargent chats with Liz Van Montfort, a traveler who's cracked the code on home exchange—the savvy way to explore France (or anywhere!) without breaking the bank. Liz shares how she spent three weeks in a Parisian apartment during the Rugby World Cup using Guest Points, plus a night in a 17th-century Dijon hotel, all while avoiding Airbnb's pitfalls.
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Liz breaks down the two types of home exchanges: reciprocal swaps (you stay in their home, they stay in yours) and Guest Points, a flexible system where you earn points by hosting others and spend them on stays worldwide. No fancy house required—Liz's Christchurch townhouse (complete with a communal pool!) has attracted exchanges from Sydney to Provence. She reveals how to prep your home, from welcome booklets to leaving local treats, and why guests often leave the place cleaner than they found it.
But why ditch Airbnb? Liz's Barcelona nightmare—stranded with luggage after a last-minute cancellation—will make you think twice. Home exchange offers verified members, insurance, and backup plans if things go wrong. Annie adds that it's perfect for slow travelers, families, and anyone tired of tourist traps. You'll live like a local, with kitchens, laundries, and neighborhood cafés at your fingertips.
After the chat, Annie dives into Paris 2026 updates: the Tour Triangle skyscraper, Louis Vuitton's Champs-Élysées hotel, and the Place de la Concorde's pedestrian makeover. Whether you're planning a trip or just love armchair travel, this episode is packed with insider tips, cultural gems, and budget-friendly hacks.
Subscribe to Join Us in France on your favorite podcast app to get more hidden travel secrets, cultural deep dives, and off-the-beaten-path adventures. Your next French escape starts here!
Table of Contents for this Episode
More episodes about budget travel in France
#JoinUsInFrance, #FrancePodcast, #TravelFrance, #FrenchCulture, #ExploreFrance, #DiscoverFrance, #FranceTravelTips, #RealFrance, #Francophile, #FranceAdventures, #HomeExchangeSecrets, #TravelForFree, #SlowTravelFrance, #LiveLikeALocal, #ParisTravelTips, #AffordableFrance, #HiddenFrance, #TravelHacks, #AuthenticTravel, #BudgetTravelFrance
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | This is Join Us in France, episode 501, 5801. |
| 0:21.3 | Bonjour, I'm Annie Sargent, and join us in France is the podcast where we take a conversational journey through the beauty, culture, and flavors of France. |
| 0:30.2 | Today I bring you a conversation with Liz Van Montfort about her home exchange experience in France, how she spent 20 nights in Paris without paying rent. |
| 0:41.2 | Wow. |
| 0:41.9 | When we recorded this, I had just listed my own place on home exchange. |
| 0:46.4 | I've since tried it myself. |
| 0:47.9 | We'll talk about that in a future detailed episode. |
| 0:51.2 | In the meantime, you will learn a lot from Liz. |
| 0:53.6 | We talk about how home exchange |
| 0:55.5 | really works, why she prefers it to hotels and Airbnb, and what travelers should know before |
| 1:01.9 | trying this affordable way to stay in France. And by the way, this episode is not sponsored by |
| 1:08.0 | Home Exchange. This podcast runs on Chocolatine, coffee and the generosity of listeners like you. |
| 1:14.8 | Whether you book an itinerary consult, take one of my GPS guided tours of Paris on the |
| 1:19.5 | VoiceMap app, join me on a day trip in my electric car around the southwest of France, |
| 1:25.4 | or support the show on Patreon. |
| 1:30.8 | You keep this whole adventure going, and I'm deeply grateful. |
| 1:36.6 | If you'd like to support the podcast and skip the ads this year, you'll find the link in the show notes and you'll find information about all my tours and services at join us in |
| 1:41.4 | franc.com for a slash boutique. |
| 1:44.0 | For the magazine part of the podcast, after my chat with Liz today, |
| 1:48.0 | I'll discuss big changes coming to Paris in 2026, |
| 1:52.6 | and there are a lot of exciting ones. |
| 1:55.5 | Listen, French is not easy to spell, but English is not either, so we're even. |
... |
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