There's no regression. They made him and his life as French here as they ever did in the original series.Enter the nihilists... We got a bit of a nod to that with Picard starting the series with a bit of French. He doesn't have to be perfect, they just need to make an effort. And it was charming.
An effort that was well enough already made during the series with house as seen in "Family." What's irksome here is that it seems like regression on achievement already accomplished. In GEN too, the Christmas Fantasy was in an ornate house that could have easily passed for French. Effort made.