| Parys is a
fast-developing country town on the Vaal River, in the Vredefort
Dome Area (the oldest and largest meteorite impact site in the world)
and is approximately an hour's drive from Johannesburg.
Parys lies on the wide and attractive Vaal river. It was named
by the town’s German surveyor, who named it after Paris, France,
due to the similarity between the Vaal River and the River Seine,
which flows through Paris. He even gave French names to two farms
in the area. Parys is now a popular holiday destination offering
a selection of hotels and campsites shaded by willow trees, from
where people can enjoy swimming, fishing, bird-watching and boating.
The main crops found here are tobacco, maize, groundnuts, sunflower
seeds and corn. The region also has extensive cattle and sheep farms.
Parys is showing accelerated growth in investment, development
and tourism, with property prices having escalated by more or less
200% and 450 Million Rand's worth of new investments (in the form
of housing, small business and hospitality industry) having been
made in Parys over the past 24 months.The town is fast acquiring
a reputation with a growing number of visitors and shoppers as an
'arts and antiques' hub, as many well-known artists, antique dealers,
craftsmen and former city dwellers make Parys their home.
Research shows that 9000-12000 vehicles pass through Parys on a
busy day. Geographically, Parys is one of the most centrally situated
towns in South Africa, with 75% of the country's population living
within a 200 km radius! This includes towns and cities such as Pretoria,
Centurion, Midrand, Sandton, Johannesburg, Springs, Benoni, Boksburg,
Germiston, Roodepoort, Krugersdorp, Soweto, Randfontein, Westonaria,
Carletonville, Fochville, Stilfontein, Vanderbijlpark, Vereeniging,
Meyerton, Alberton, Sasolberg, Welkom, Virginia, Bothaville. Viljoenskroon,
Kroonstad, Potchefstroom and Rustenburg.Parys and environs boast
over 60 hotels, bed and breakfasts, guesthouses, lodges, retreats
and adventure resorts offering about 3000 beds for overnight accommodation.
Tourists, local and international, also come to Parys for:
- The American Saddle Horse Arena (the largest of its kind in
the Southern hemisphere)
- Adventure facilities such as hiking, abseiling, river rafting,
mountain biking, team building, fly-fishing, 4X4 trails, quadbiking.
- The "Dome Adventure Festival" to be held annually
during October promises to draw at least 20 000 visitors.
- The annual Arts and Antiques fair.
For more information visit:
www.parysinfo.co.za
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