French lessons for Dita Von Teese

Dita Von Teese is learning French.

The burlesque dancer is taking lessons in the language so she can converse with her boyfriend, French aristocrat Count Louis-Marie de Castelbajac, in his native tongue.

She wrote on her Twitter page: "Why oh why didn't I pay more attention in high school French?? Yes, now it really DOES seem like 20 years ago."

Dita's love of all things from France has extended to the decor in her house.

The 37-year-old beauty has bought a set of 18th century French sconces - a type of wall mounted light fixture which directs light upwards and are often used for torch lighting - for her home.

She revealed: "Bought a pair of Napoleonic era sconces, reminds me of Jean Cocteau's 'Beauty and the Beast'... beautiful arms holding ornate candelabras."

Dita - who was previously wed to goth rocker Marilyn Manson - recently revealed she wants to be an "old-fashioned" mother and will only start a family when she marries again.

She said: "I'd like to think that if I did have children I'd do it the old-fashioned way and fall in love and get married and then have children.

"But I don't know what the future holds. Maybe it's on the cards for me or maybe it isn't. But it doesn't diminish me as a human being if it's not."