Raffles Le Royal Monceau wins a Michelin star for each of its' restaurants and celebrate with sparkling new menus served on a bucolic terrace in the heart of Paris. La Petite Cour is the perfect left-bank classic, with romantic terrace, informal atmosphere and talented new chef. Read Paul Piro's book on Evian and you'll be on the next train to spa-town. Who won the French Top-Chef prize? And, all the President's wine (or nearly) at auction.

Foodie-treasures pop up frequently all over Paris. Sleuthing them out is a grand game. Here's one that is quite worthy of the short trip on the #21 bus from central Paris out to the lovely Parc Montsouris or on the RER out to the Cité Universitaire stop.  Xin Jin Lou.  Yes, this is a Chinese traiteur and restaurant. It is also the source of astonishingly good, charitably priced French cuisine.  Don't be put off by the exterior, enter, and request the French menu. Prepare to be surprised and delighted.

Ma Chère & Tendre is the recently launched steak house where meat lovers meet! Fables de la Fontaine has a talented new toque and a new fish-only menu. Bistro Je The-Me showcases modern food in an authentic 1900's setting. Headed by Carol Duval-Leroy since 1991, Duval-Leroy is one of the few remaining 100% family-owned champagne maisons, ranked in the world's 15 top Champagne houses.

Le Balm. An unusual name for a Parisian restaurant you might think.  However, as soon as you step inside this elegant new establishment in the shadows of the Ministry of Culture on rue de Valois, and are enveloped by the soothing vibes permeating the place, you sort of sigh and say to the gracious hostess, “Where might I be seated, please?”

Another way to avoid over-eating is to constantly change up ingredients in the foods you cook. After all, if your recipe rotation is pretty stagnant, with the same ingredients in your shopping cart week after week, it’s easy to get bored. And a bored eater is often an over-eater.

Giverny is the picture-postcard village where Claude Monet lived from 1883 until his death, in 1926.  The sprawling house and gardens were left to run wild until 1977 when funds were raised for serious restorations, it opened to the public in 1980. Last November Le Jardin des Plumes opened its doors, a contemporary country house hotel with an exciting young talent at the pianos. Meanwhile, back in Paris, check out Caffe Armani's Brunch Milanese.

Alain Ducasse has pushed the boundaries of excellence in cooking and the dining experience throughout his 30-year career in gastronomy. The Lifetime Achievement Award, sponsored by Diners Club International®, part of The World’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards 2013, acknowledges not only Ducasse’s reputation for innovative French cuisine but also his indisputable influence over today’s generation of chefs and restaurateurs around the world.

As I mentioned in last week’s article on the French (Non!) Diet, an obvious secret to staying thin is simply not to overeat.

And one way not to overeat is to eat things that give you more flavor bang for your calorie buck. The more you love what you eat, the less of it you’ll need to feel satisfied—even indulged.

Marc Meneau creates spectacular food, wine and atmosphere in Burgundy, this summer his signature is on the menu of Le Saut du Loup. Guy Savoy considers himself to be an “aubergiste of the 21st century” he's just made the movie........ Haagen-Daz's ice cream tennis balls are limited edition, so hurry to the Champs Elysées and grab a few packs.