Planning a trip to the City of Lights? These essential apps will help you enjoy the je ne sais quoi of this bustling hub of culture, fashion, and food.

Food Lover's Guide to Paris grew out of the book by Patricia Wells, an American ex-pat who was restaurant critic for the International Herald Tribune and the French weekly L’Express. The app is true to its name, with recommendations for bakeries, cheesemongers, chocolate shops, cafés, and restaurants throughout the city. Browse the map, search for your favorite food, or pick from Wells’ best-of lists.

Whether you prefer hotel rooms or vacation rentals, you’re spoiled for choices in Paris. Look to the usual global suspects for booking—like Airbnb, Hipmunk, and Tablet. Here are a few neighborhoods to narrow your search.

Classic
The historic Jewish district of the Marais is where the medieval and modern collide. Cobblestone streets meet quirky boutiques; pocket-sized gardens mingle with magnificent museums. You won’t need to leave—and may not want to.

Trendy
Canal St. Martin takes its name from a waterway that connects to the Seine River. Traditionally a working-class neighborhood, in recent years it has become a hotspot for creatives. Every week a stylish new restaurant or shop seems to pop up.

Fancy
The swanky 1st Arrondissement, right around the Louvre Museum, is home to designer boutiques, grand mansions, revered jewelers, and high-end hotels. Paris’ most popular attractions are just moments away.

Book a table with a flick of the finger—instead of fumbling with French—thanks to TheFork. The app serves Paris’ more than 7,000 restaurants; some even offer a special discount for mobile booking.

Louis Vuitton City Guide may have a rarefied pedigree, but it's a worthy download no matter what your budget. In “The Guest” section, architect Dominique Perrault shares his favorite Parisian hotspots, like the Japanese cocktail bar Minato and director David Lynch's nightclub Silencio. Explore the city with the app's walking tours, helpfully organized by theme (Art and Architecture, Luxury and Fashion).

Citymapper Transit Navigation takes the guesswork out of getting around Paris. Enter your starting point and destination and get all the options—from bike share to subway to Uber—complete with travel time, cost, and, when relevant, calories burned. The app takes into account traffic and weather, offers up quieter and speedier bike routes, and lets you click through to book rides.

If you just want to get your cycle on, try Vélib’, the app for the Paris bike-share system. It shows the availability of standard and e-bikes around the city, and lets you purchase a rental or subscription.

RFI, the app for France’s national radio service, lets you stay up to date with local news, culture, and politics in French or English. There’s even a facile (easy) French version so you can practice your comprehension.

Radios FM: Top France tunes into local stations. Tap the tiles to switch from hip hop to rock to French standards.