The Grand Flaneur Walk 2022

After a two-year hiatus, the most aimless walk of the century is back with lots of well-dressed people wandering around St James.

In July 2019, 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.

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

At midday on Saturday 14th May, all flaneurs are invited to 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, perhaps ending up in Soho, perhaps Dover. Naturally we cannot offer any form of route or stop-off points, should you wish to join us after the walk has commenced. 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.