Flâneur: The Art of Wandering the Streets of Paris

by Federico Castigliano

A man walks the streets of Paris, alone and without a destination. He covers the long avenues with their great buildings, he gets lost in the crowds of the grands magasins. Buttoned up in his black overcoat, he wanders, restless, through the city. But what is he looking for? Where is he going?

The word flâneur derives from the French verb flâner, which means “to wander”, “to waste one’s time”. Being a flâneur means walking, free of all commitments, immersing oneself in the living spectacle of Paris.

Flâneur teaches how to roam without an aim, to get lost in the city. It contains some stories about rovers, about people who have lost their way and who have thus discovered new and wonderful things on their route. It provides information on the personages, artists and the authors who have made the history of the aimless strolling in Paris.

The reader has two possibilities:
• A sequential reading, from the first to the last chapter.
• A free reading that allows for the creation of a preferred route through the text.
The rule of the game is simple: the chapters with odd numbers are fiction, while the chapters with even numbers are nonfiction.

Flâneur is, ultimately, an exercise for the mind. It teaches how to immerse oneself in exteriority, and how to give less importance to the self and one’s own petty needs. Because in order to listen to the voice of the world, one must first of all silence the ego.

Genres: France, Travel, Nonfiction, Walking, Essays

160 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2017

About the author

Federico Castigliano holds a PhD from the University of Turin (Italy) and he is qualified as Associate Professor in Italian Studies. After working for several years in France, he currently teaches at Beijing International Studies University in China. His studies address the relationship between urban space and literature and the impact of city developments on works of art.

Reviews

[Sackvia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a comprehensive introduction to flânerie, i.e. the art of strolling around Paris. The author puts himself on the scene as a “flâneur”, explores different areas of the French capital, and tells us his adventures. He encourages us to discover the city in a different way. I suppose this book was partially inspired by the The Arcades Project, by Walter Benjamin. At the same time I highly appreciate the author’s effort to give us an updated version of the flâneur in the contemporary, 21st century city. For that reason, I found the chapter 9 particulary great: our flâneur immerses himself in the mellifluous spaces of a shopping mall (Les Quatre Temps, in the business district of La Défense) decribed as the “Acropolis of the modern city”, the “grandiouse sanctuary of contemporary nihilism”.

I am really pleased to have gotten this book. During my trip to Paris, every single chapter was for me a source of inspiration. I tried myself to follow the author’s suggestions and to enjoy the city in a different and new way. Pleasant to read, and stimulating to think about this vital philosophical approach.

[DanyangLi · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a person who loves wandering around in cities, the value of this book is that it elevates the type of behavior to an art form. This book is not a practical book to show where to go or to eat; this books dives into the studies of flâneur, tells what it means and what it takes to be a true flâneur.

Although I find the part describing the history of certain places hard to read, I do like the part when emotions and feelings are described when walking aimlessly on the street, and the part when some stories are told, which makes this whole book more dynamic.

All in all, a good book for relaxing the mind, and a good companion when travelling in Paris.

[Barrie A. Brill · Rating 5 out of 5]

What to read before you leave on your travels.

A beautiful evocation of the way each of us should approach a place whether it is your hometown or that great place of memories that is Paris. How should we approach every place? This book will give the attentive reader a blueprint. Enjoy!!!

[Lilac-Chen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book with beautiful words,beautiful cover,you feel like just in Paris and see the scenes that the author describes to you.

[Anne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heartily recommend

I really appreciated this book. It's at once lyrical and scholarly. Not a book for tourists, and it's not only about Paris.

[Zeee · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Flaneur" reminds me of the time when I was living in Paris, during the 1990s. Paris was a very different city at the time. This book, certainly inspired by older and classical sources (such as the writings by Baudelaire and Walter Benjamin), seeks to delineate the experience of the flanerie in the contemporary city. We have to admit that, this piece of work is fairly personal, even to an extent of auto-biological; yet there's no doubt that the intention of M. Castigliano is to catch the genius loci,and to capture the almost metaphysical soul of Paris. It is a complex work for its combination of the style of historical writing and fiction (or rather, auto-fiction). I especially appreciate the chapters 7, 9 and 11, in which I really feel as if walking around Paris with the author, accompanying him along his experimental walks. I would definitely recommend this book if you want to re-think the experience of walking in a creative approach, or if you wish to add to your trip to Paris an artistic and romantic touch.

[Dorothy Salida · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I was a child I love Paris and have been there several times, but this book gave me many reasons to visit again.

[班菲 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sincerity, delicacy, fun and resonance. This book reminds me of my yearning for Paris

[Andrea Mattasoglio · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simpatico libretto, sul piacere di passeggiare oziando per le strade di Parigi, scritto bene, con una digressione quasi filosofica sui non-luoghi, posti funzionali che possono stare dovunque nel mondo e generano straniamento come gli aeroporti ed i superluoghi come i parchi a tema, dove la finzione ha un effetto analogo, con Las Vegas che imita Parigi e a sua volta Parigi in qualche suo scorcio copia Las Vegas.

[Sun · Rating 5 out of 5]

For someone who likes to wander exploring big and historical cities, this book can be the perfect guidebook. The structure is uncommon, with even chapters (1,3,5...) that are fiction and auto-biographical and odd chapters (0,2,4...) that teach you how to become a flaneur and get lost in Paris. Highly recommended.

[Noah Goats · Rating 5 out of 5]

I travel occasionally for work, and when I'm someplace like Hong Kong my coworkers from the local office will say, "Let's go out tonight! We'll take you up to Victoria Peak and we'll get spicy crab at this great place. . ." and to the extent possible I beg off (although, I did let them talk me into Victoria Peak and the spicy crab restaurant, and both were great). They point out that I have to see the sights while I'm there, because when will I be in Hong Kong again? I don't know how to tell them that what I want to do is just wander around semi-aimlessly, soaking up whatever piece of the city I come into contact with. In other words, I want to be a flâneur.

In this delightful book, Castigliano explores what it means to be a flâneur. He defines the term, he traces its history, and shows how the phenomenon of the flâneur fits into our culture. He compares it to tourism, and to going from point A to point B in a merely utilitarian fashion. He shows how it's a way of stepping outside of ourselves and being absorbed by the urban landscape (unlike hiking in the wilderness, which to me always leads to introspection).

Paris is the city where the word "flâneur" was born, and it's still a great place to "vagabonder" (to borrow another French term). It's funny because I recently read a book of conversations with Orson Welles, and in it he complained that you can't walk around Paris anymore. I don't know what Paris was like in the pre-war era, but as far as I'm concerned, it continues to be the natural habitat of the flâneur. Castigliano shows why in this charming book.

Whenever I write a review of a French language book, I always feel compelled to add a note about how difficult it is to read for the non-native, although, unless you speak French exactly as well (or as poorly) as I do, this is going to be meaningless. Anyway, I thought this book was easy to read, and it didn't send me constantly scrambling for a dictionary. Also, it's short, which makes it even more approachable for a student of the language.

[Dianjiao Runrong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely artistic views of living a life, this book is a great alteration for us when being overwhelmed by dull daily routine.
‘To lose oneself in a city is not as easy as to lose oneself in the wild.’

[Oli · Rating 5 out of 5]

A poetic exploration of Paris from the perspective of a solitary walker. Interesting book, easy and fast to read. A good surprise.

[Chiara · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have enjoyed reading Flâneur. The chapters are not all excellent in structure, especially the narrative ones. It seems the book doesn't develop as organically as I hoped. That was a little disappointing. Nevertheless, the writing style is exquisite. I particularly appreciate the author's skill in summarizing a philosophical concept with a simple slogan. The book contains many outstanding parts that could be quoted. My favorite sentence: "I thought that the destiny of every true flâneur was to immerse himself in the panorama surrounding him, to the point of becoming one with it and, ultimately, to vanish."

[Elizabeth B. Burnett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love this book but not for everyone. If you love to wander in cities this is for you.

[Lorie Sauble-Otto · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am really amazed at all of the positive reviews of this book. As a French professor, a French speaker, and someone familiar with Paris and France, I just could not forgive the ignorance of the author in regards to a staple of Parisian menus, steak tartare. The author is describing Parisian restaurants and the "little blackboards outside" that list the offerings, including what the author calls "steak with tartar sauce." No one familiar with French culture would actually say THIS. Steak tartare is raw ground steak. Tartar sauce plays no role in the dish.

[Jeremy Amar · Rating 4 out of 5]

My companion this week as I wandered the streets of a Paris I had lost. Not only a reminder, an artful provocation. Thank you, Federico.

[SARAH BIANDRATI · Rating 5 out of 5]

Utilissimo e interessante. Pieno di spunti per vedere una Parigi fuori dagli schemi e sentirsi veri cittadini della Ville Lumière.

[Yuanyuan · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading this book,I understand that urban walking is an art, just like appraising antiques and paintings. It requires keen observation, excellent artistic beauty, and some historical background, so that you can walk on the streets to experience the beauty of this city . This is also like a kind of philosophy. Sometimes when strolling, you completely empty themself, without a destination, walk around at will, let go of the worldly fame and fortune, just look for the purest and simplest things, and then find the true desire in your heart, becoming who you are, not following the trend. Or sometimes, pull yourself out of the crowd and the city, and look down on all beings from the perspective of an invisible person, so that you can see the whole picture of Paris, the stories of Parisians and the path of their lives. For me, maybe this will lead to a more detached life wisdom, not to be happy with things, not to be sad with myself. Following the author’s words, you can feel these streets and shops how to shape the lives and feelings of Parisians.
The even-numbered chapters of this book are commentaries and are clear. The odd number chapter is a narrative chapter, which has weak logic, too much stream of consciousness and lacks detailed description, delicate emotional expression and in-depth philosophical thinking, which makes the book not perfectly interpret the author's values, as well as the logic of Paris and the author's internal in-depth influence. But this may be because I am reading the Chinese version and the translation cannot restore the original text.Or May be because I am not clever enough to understand.I like chapter 9 and the last chapter most. They are very detailed, clear and complete.

[Danielle · Rating 2 out of 5]

For how many chapters do you think it is possible to pontificate on the act of wandering aimlessly through the streets of Paris? It turns out the author of this book believes it to be 13.

I thought I would like this book, because I do enjoy walking through a city in an unhurried way, without a particular goal, and I recently was in France doing exactly that. I love discovering the non-touristy niche and the virtually empty cathedrals that aren’t in any guidebook.

Beyond that, though, this book was as aimless as flânerie presupposes to be and the structure, if it can be said to have one, was utter nonsense. In one chapter, he is aimless, but also aiming to get to a particular cathedral to look at the artwork. He badgers the nun or whoever it was who fails to give him entry when he arrives past closing time. This is not flânerie! If one arrives too late at this cathedral, one supposes the Universe has some other surprise down the next road. That is what flânerie would actually be.

There is also a brief chapter about trying to pick up women on the street in the course of flânerie. This is not flânerie, either! Still a goal, dumbass. As a chick who has been on the streets of Paris, I find it quite annoying to read that someone thinks hoping for a hustle is a reasonable goal in walking around Paris. It also bugged me that he constantly says, “girl” and not “woman.” What is this, the 50s?

The last chapter disses Paris entirely. The author thinks Paris is no longer the city for a flâneur. What, has he already hustled all the eligible “girls”? While I think many cities are perfect for a flâneur, Paris has got to be way up near the top of that list. I am only sorry I did not have months in which to stroll its streets. Though I do think even my nearby small towns like Frederick or Westminster are great for a walkabout.

The one thing I did like in this book was the use of great words. Sometimes the writing was downright clever. There were a few grammatical errors here and there, though. It’s always unfortunate when those squeeze by.

[Martin Henson · Rating 1 out of 5]

It did not take many pages for me to realise what an appalling book this is. Luckily, it is not a long read - and I persisted in the forlorn hope that there might be a morsel, somewhere, of generosity of spirit. It is a narrative of relentless self-absorption: if the text itself were not enough, witness the "super-cool" photos of the author posing towards the end of the book. This is not flanerie, but a cry to be noticed based on a fear of insignificance. It is notable how "sophisticated" the commentary is on the inanimate city (the author, I think, fancies himself as a latter-day Walter Benjamin) but how dismissive it is of any other vulnerable human body in the city with which the author is co-located. But what makes the book so much worse than this is the misogyny. The relentless male pronouns would grate even if they were not intended as denoting directly - but they do: the flaneur is evidently a man (sorry) and, insofar as women enter the narrative, the focus is, frankly, unspeakable. To be fair, there is a short section that entertains exploitative attitudes and, even, indicates that the "flaneuse" could exist. However, for the greatest part, this is a book that is - in a way that is extraordinary in our time - written by a man for men; or worse: there is absolutely no self-reflection regarding the nature of the audience at all - which, finally, is why the charge of misogyny should stick.

[Jess Zhang · Rating 5 out of 5]

VERY INTERESTING. You got to learn more about French culture through this book while also the art of wandering.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

The art of the Flâneur - read whilst in Paris which allowed me to process the work in situ.

[Chiara · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I thought that the destiny of every true flâneur was to immerse himself in the panorama surrounding him, to the point of becoming one with it and, ultimately, to vanish."

[Dorothy Salida · Rating 5 out of 5]

beautifully written

[malik · Rating 5 out of 5]

yes yes yes yes yes yes yes yes

[Federico Castigliano · Rating 5 out of 5]

A man walks the streets of Paris, alone and without a destination. He covers the long avenues with their great buildings, he gets lost in the crowds of the grands magasins. Buttoned up in his black overcoat, he wanders, restless, through the city. But what is he looking for? Where is he going?

The word flâneur derives from the French verb flâner, which means “to wander”, “to waste one’s time”. Being a flâneur means walking, free of all commitments, immersing oneself in the living spectacle of Paris.

FLÂNEUR teaches how to roam without an aim, to get lost in the city. It contains some stories about rovers, about people who have lost their way and who have thus discovered new and wonderful things on their route. It provides information on the personages, artists and the authors who have made the history of Paris.

The reader has two possibilities:
A sequential reading, from the first to the last chapter.
A free reading that allows for the creation of a preferred route through the text.
The rule of the game is simple: the chapters with odd numbers are fiction, while the chapters with even numbers are nonfiction.

FLÂNEUR is, ultimately, an exercise for the mind. It teaches how to immerse oneself in exteriority, and how to give less importance to the self and one’s own petty needs. Because in order to listen to the voice of the world, one must first of all silence the ego.

[Ryan (Glay)]

A slightly interesting read on Flanerie but I found it a bit too thin, although he seems to have read the major works on it by Baudelaire and others he doesn't spend much time analyzing them for the reader.

Much of the book is taken up with his own flaneur escapades which include some strange digressions by the author comparing flanerie to pick-up artistry.

More and deeper descriptions about what Baudelaire and the other hairbringers of Paris Flanerie were attempting to achieve and less space devoted to the author's own flanerie would have made the book better IMO

[Nina · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those familiar with Walter Benjamin Arcades Project this book could be an interesting update, showing the life of a flâneur in the city or the third millennium. Some parts are historical and provide the reader a very detailed portrait of the flaneur as literary character and real Parisian type. But most of the book is fiction and auto-biographical, with great descriptions of the streets, architecture and different areas of the City or Lights. I would definitely recommend this book.

[SWB · Rating 2 out of 5]

Great first chapter. Very quotable. Themes of phenomenology and existentialism. Then falls into weird masculinity, anti-globalisation and miscellaneous rants.
The narrative of these rants is simple and repetitive:
1. The author is a flaneur
2. Flaneurs are exceptionally wise
3. Flaneurs hate (insert thing the author hates here, e.g. modernity, bars or philosophy)