Flaneurs promenading around London in their Sunday Best on a Saturday

If you’re in central London next Saturday, don’t be surprised to see people dressed in their very best Sunday Best promenading around town.

After a two-year plague induced hiatus, the most aimless walk of the century is back – the Grand Flaneur Walk.

Flaneurs 2019 (c) The Chap magazine

It all started in the depths of time, in July 2019 to be specific, when a large group of well-dressed dandies, flaneurs, boulevardiers and quaintrelles set forth from the statue of Beau Brummell on Jermyn Street, London, on a long walk with no destination whatsoever. This was the first Grand Flaneur Walk, whose aim was to follow in the footsteps of the great flaneurs of history by walking entirely without purpose.

After two years of not being permitted to wander anywhere, with or without destination, the flaneurs are once again pressing their pantaloons, polishing their canes and cultivating new buttonholes again, in preparation for the next instalment of this aimless perambulation.

So, if you’re in town on the afternoon of Saturday 14th May, the Grand Flaneur Walk will return to decorate the streets once again.

It starts at midday, where the assorted flaneurs will gather at the statue of Beau Brummell on the corner of Jermyn Street and Piccadilly Arcade, clad in their finest raiment. Something will be read to set the dandy heart ablaze before the walk, and give strength to those for whom physical exercise does not come readily.

Thus the flaneurs, encouraged by the thought of pausing at a hostelry within a few minutes, will set forth and wander as aimlessly as whim dictates. Needless to say, the flaneurs will not be difficult to locate: simply look out for lots of flannel, a multitude of hats, walking canes and highly polished boots – which are usually used only for pacing from one end of a room to the other.

There’s no route to follow, for that would be rather against the point of the whole thing., but they can be generally expected to amble towards Camden for 6pm, for a post wander drink.

The whole thing is being organised by The Chap magazine, famous for sartorial commentary and organising the annual Chap Olympiad. If you fancy reading the magazine, there’s an offer of four quarterly editions for £1 each, if you subscribe by Direct Debit here, and use the voucher code 4CHAP.