Slow travel is attracting more and more people, in a time when traveling has become difficult and precious, leading many to give priority to quality over quantity.
In this age of speed and technology, it is also important to take the time to enjoy life. HomeExchange invites our Members to slow down their pace and offers them a unique kind of simplicity through slow travel.
The practice of slow travel naturally applies to HomeExchange
The practice of slow travel naturally applies to HomeExchange, the home-exchange allows you to travel better by offering the opportunity to immerse yourself in places where you are, surrounded by locals.
Slow down the pace
Most tourists follow the same, mainstream itinerary. Yet the planet offers a huge playground! It is always possible to find small hidden corners of paradise for your holidays. Most of our members choose holidays that allow them to interrupt their natural rhythm to calm down and really rest.
"We will spend nearly a week in exchange for GuestPoints on Sein Island off the tip of the Raz. It is an island of 58 hectares without cars or bicycles. We’re going to stay with someone who lives there all year round and with whom we have excellent contact. We're going to settle down and change our pace and lifestyle for a few days." - Sylvie
"We did our exchange in Maribor, Slovenia. There, we took the time to do a lot of outdoor sports (canoeing, cycling, going to a ski resort in summer...) as well as wine-tasting!" - Roser
Traveling off the beaten track
Some members choose a region or city that they’ve been eyeing for a while, others are persuaded to choose a destination through a request for an exchange, and make their trip a discovery. HomeExchange has many surprises in store!
"Our first exchange was in a renovated farm in the north of Voiron a few years ago. As Parisians, the only thing we wanted for the summer was to take a trip to the countryside. In addition to the beautiful cobblestones combined with comfort, we were seduced by the garden without a fence, a sizeable grassy meadow on a slope with fir trees high up, hardly any buildings around, small footpaths without cars, vegetable gardens and a waterhole. You can readily appreciate the atmosphere of a small house on the prairie, or rather a large house. An ideal place to read the book Arabic of the Future offered in our hosts' library, is in a hammock in the shade of small trees." - Isabelle
Traveling for the experience
It’s getting increasingly common for Members to refuse the tendency to travel with the superficial comfort offered by highly-touristic places, which at the same time, dilute the charm of the local culture. They prefer to go to more authentic places, which is made very easy with home-exchanging.
"We avoid very touristic places. In France, we went near to Lille and Reims this year. Next October, we will go to Mayenne. When we leave, we leave the big crowded cities. We like to discover the living spaces of our hosts, and we share with pleasure our little corner of inland Brittany." - Sophie
A Journey of Discovery
The beauty of travel is found in what we discover, what we learn, what we’ve never seen before or experienced. Staying in local homes makes our members more curious to explore every aspect of what makes the place unique and different from what they know. They will tend to try local food and discover new flavors, they will observe the architecture, meet the craftsmen, listen to local music,and be completely immersed in that world for an authentic experience.
"Before HomeExchange, I visited cities, but today I live them as a local, and I stop and smell the roses. I live in real houses, not in hotels, so I can cook and do my shopping in local markets."- Rosario
Relations with Local People
We know the human part of our travels is the most intense. Meeting the locals makes member's trips unforgettable. Taking interest in their way of life, their culture, and their jobs is a sign of respect that creates a deep connection to the place you stay. Local people are usually passionate about their culture and love to transmit their knowledge and the specific know-how of their region.
"I bought a painting from an artist we met on the street, who was then a resident artist in Paris. He was painting the café where we were eating when we started chatting. He invited us to see his apartment, which we visited with pleasure. We discovered his work, had a few drinks, and bought this pretty painting. What a wonderful experience." - Anita
Preserve Humans and the Environment
Trying to limit their impact on the environment and on people is something precious to our members. Respecting the principles of sustainable tourism is important to ensure a continuity, through thoughtful minding the mode of transportation, considering visits within one’s own country instead of going to the other side of the planet, preserving biodiversity while choosing activities, and consuming from local shops and farms.
Both at home and when we travel, we try to make good use of our resources by choosing bamboo toothbrushes, reusable bottles, picnic kits and steel straws, and collecting cold water when we take showers. It's an important issue that we have taken on board as a family. - Myriam
These increasingly common choices are in line with the HomeExchange philosophy, namely the desire to travel better, to stay longer to take the time to discover and learn from local people as well as their customs.
Go on your next adventure!