LAST YEAR Mary Geever, her husband and two children aged three and five years, swapped their bungalow in Castlebar for a similar sized family bungalow – with pool – near the upmarket French seaside resort of Biarritz.

“It was fantastic to stay in a home that was child-friendly. The kids spent hours playing in a hammock in the garden, we were able to sit out on their patio in the evening sunshine, and if it got too hot during the day the kids could sit in and watch DVDs,” she said.

Both parties had posted spare car keys and so could leave their cars at the airport for the other family to use.

This year the Geevers are swapping with a family who live 45 minutes from Carcassonne, in the Pyrenees.

An accountant by profession, she believes house-swapping ticks not just leisure but financial boxes too.

“Your house and your car are your biggest asset. House swapping is a terrific way of putting both to good use. It’s also a terrific adventure.”