Au contraire, mon ami, It's an homage to our secret love of the French that we use so many French words and phrases. So although it is a faux pas to parlais Franglais in front of a French person, quite often is is simply à propos to gesture to the banquette and say Let's have a baguette, some fromage, and some pâté (but not foie gras, that would be a touch bourgeois), then we can retire to the boudoir. Using a little French lends us cachet, and many things retain their association with the baroque and the bourgeois - chauffeur, chaise lounge, pain au chocolat, even the humble croissant. Who wouldn't prefer a concierge to a reception, Things are better if they are chic, not cliché, crudités over veg sticks, de rigeur is better etiquette than required for convention.

We compliment décor after we have arrived. Before that we were en route, we offer each other hors d'oevre and entrées. Anyway, I'm too louche to get past laissez-faire and lingerie, to utter another bon mot and talk of au natural and ménage a trios, of the nouveau richer or a nom de plume et cetera.