The flâneur has always fascinated me.

When I first wrote about what I called the marché lent – the slow walk – I had no idea I was describing a tradition stretching back centuries. Since then, I’ve discovered that the flâneur is far more than a leisurely stroller. He has been celebrated by poets, criticised by philosophers, reinvented by photographers and reclaimed by modern urban explorers.

In this episode of Coffee Pot Conversations, I continue that journey. From the radical ideas of psychogeography to the quiet observations of Vivian Maier, we explore how wandering without purpose became an act of creativity – and why Paris still rewards those prepared to look beyond the obvious.

Perhaps the flâneur never disappeared.

Perhaps we’ve simply forgotten how to walk.