Parys is a resort town located in the northern Free State province of South Africa. It is situated on the southern bank of the Vaal River.
The name Parys is the Afrikaans translation of Paris. Its origin is attributed to German surveyor Schilbach, who named the location after the French city because he noted a similarity between its position next to the Vaal River and that of Paris on the River Seine. The area also encompasses the two townships of Tumahole and Schonkenville.