This little town in Vrystaat is currently hot property, and certainly a highly rated adventure destination along the tourist routes tracing the reaches of the Vaal valley.
The lush swathe transcribed by the mighty river as well as the geological riches encompassed by the Vredefort Dome Heritage site is a major outdoor draw card, while a host of antique shops, art galleries, organic eateries and delis on the main street do well to lure the leisure crowd.
Get stuck in early if you want to explore the authentic town centre on foot and you’ll soon discover a host of treasures along the legendary Breë and Water Streets with their knick-knacks galore.
Weeping willows lining the banks of the Vaal gave the town its name back in the 1880s; if urban legend is to be believed, a German land surveyor and survivor of the Franco-Prussian war by the name of Shillbach likened the Vaal River to the Seine. He also prophesied that one day the town would spread to occupy both river banks, just like Paris in France.
The grassland plains, dense kloofs and craggy kopies scattered within the 200 km inverted dome is a brilliant playground for outdoor and nature enthusiasts alike.
Parys has its own microclimate, so you’ll survive summer, although the best time to visit is definitely spring and early summer.
When you mention that you are going to Parys, many people turn their nose up. Those are the ones who haven’t been there. It is a lovely to...
Parys performs the balancing act peculiar to contemporary boere-dorps, and is poised somewhere between earthy, arty and kitsch. But if youâ€...