Marianne Grosjean: Everything can be bought, even savoir-vivre3 reading minutes

Journalist Marianne Grosjean sends out a message in each of her columns. This month, she suggests that public schools draw inspiration from the codes of conduct in private schools.

My guilty pleasure? Reading the codes of conduct of private boarding schools for the ultra-rich. And dreaming that my children will also leave school at 18 with a savoir-vivre that will open every door for them. Because it's mission impossible to find a place in the upper echelons of society without the necessary codes. You don't become a diplomat with a tattoo on your face, by yawning when someone speaks to you, or by eating with your hands at a gala dinner.

The amount of detail these private schools provide on etiquette is mind-boggling... A selection from the 19-page regulations of the Le Rosey boarding school in Rolle, whose fees depend on the number of students enrolled.