A 5 step guide on how to be a Flâneur x Semaine

Lauren Sarazen for Semaine adds some fascinating insights: “We credit Walter Benjamin for the word’s lasting impact thanks to his analysis in The Arcades Project. In the 19th century, parting the crowds, flâneurs took to the city streets with leashed turtles and let their slow-moving pets set the pace. The Parisian “street becomes a dwelling place for the flâneur; he is as much at home among the facades of the houses as a citizen within his four walls,” Benjamin wrote. In the context of the Industrial Revolution, the figure of the flâneur and his leashed turtle was a radical act of defiance against a rapidly shifting world—a refusal to engage with society’s dictates.” Now that’s very very chic.

4. Go your own way 

Resist the urge to travel in packs; In order to tune into the secrets of the streets, you should leave your gang at home. But of course, there is no harm in penciling in a  group Apéro later to share your discoveries.

5. Embrace the unusual 

Every budding Flâneur should learn to lean into the unexpected. Discover what piques your interest and follow it into the unknown.