Emmanuel Arnaud (HomeExchange): “I have seen incredible sunsets in Saint-Jean-de-Luz with a mojito in my hand and some Padrón peppers on my plate”

At 45 years old, Parisian Emmanuel Arnaud directs HomeExchange, the largest home exchange community in the world, a global movement that exceeds 270,000 members in 155 countries, its main markets being France, Spain, the United States, Canada and Italy. Convinced that sharing transforms the way we travel—and also the way we relate—he leads a rapidly expanding platform that aspires to more empathetic, local and sustainable tourism. A lover of hiking, he says he never gets tired of admiring the mountains. Question. Are you a home exchange user? Answer. Yeah, right… Every member has an account number, and I’m member number one. Q. What trades have you made?A. I have made 50 exchanges. I have done exchanges in Spain, the United States, Morocco, Belgium, Italy, Switzerland and France. My next home exchange is in May in Amsterdam.Q. Any unforgettable anecdotes? A. I have had many. For my wife’s 35th birthday, we exchanged our house for a riad with a pool in the center of Marrakech… it was a real gift. I also remember with great fondness when I returned home after Rosario, from Madrid, and her family stayed there. They gave me some delicious homemade jams and a children’s book for my children. And they left a note that said: «Dear Emmanuel and family, thank you very much for having us in your home. Our children have told us that it has been the best vacation of their lives. They have insisted on buying this book for your children, to thank them for letting them play with their toys.» Reading this note made me feel very good. Knowing that a family had a great vacation thanks to us made me feel special. And the idea that we were educating the next generation to share more made me proud.P. What daily habit do you not forgive, even if you are traveling? A. The reading. You’ll always find me with a good digital book on my phone and a physical book in my backpack, so I can always have something to read.Q. Is it about improvising getaways or planning months in advance? A. I improvise by nature, I usually do everything at the last minute. But life has taught me that this doesn’t always work when you have four children… so now I plan the basics in advance (transportation, accommodation) and do the rest at the last minute.Q. Choose: a house facing the sea or in the mountains or an apartment in the center of a big city? A. In the mountains. I love hiking and I never get tired of admiring the mountains.P. What city has given you the best sunset of your life? R. In Saint Jean de Luz, a French city in the Basque Country, I have seen many incredible sunsets from the terrace of La Guinguette d’Erromardi, with a mojito in hand and some Padrón peppers on the plate.P. Where in the world would you live if you could? Is there a city that has made you rethink your way of living? A. Maybe Barcelona: I love the mountains and I love the sea. I love Catalan culture and gastronomy, and have loved it every time I have traveled there. In fact, I did my first house exchange there in 2011.Q. Do you have any unspeakable pleasure? R. Two squares of salted dark chocolate after most meals…Q. A restaurant that remembers The best restaurant I have been to is Berasategui in San Sebastián: we treated ourselves to going to that restaurant to celebrate the birth of our first child and it was simply incredible.P. Do you really disconnect or is there always one eye on your phone? A. I consider myself a person with great willpower, capable of disconnecting and being present in the moment. However, my children tell me that I am addicted and that I can’t stop looking at my phone… I imagine the reality is somewhere in between.Q. The best plan when your work day ends? A. On Fridays I leave work before work, pick up my two young children from school, walk my dog ​​and we go to the bakery to buy croissants and pains au chocolat… Sometimes the stereotypes about the French are true!Q. How do you take care of yourself? A. I simply try to do my best as a father, husband, and CEO, but I have learned to be kind to myself when I don’t meet my expectations. That kindness towards myself is one of the best things that the passing of the years has taught me.P. What sports do you practice? A. Weekly, cycling and running. Annually, sailing, skiing and kitesurfing.P. What things make you happy? A. Being with my loved ones, surprising them, creating solutions in a world full of problems, reading, petting my dog, joking, listening to music… and the list goes on and on: I am a happy man. You can consult the rest of the interviews in this section here.