Paradis is a census-designated place in St. Charles Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,252 at the 2000 census. Edouard Paradis, originally from Quebec, Canada, came down in 1856 to provide crossties for the railroads being constructed in St. Charles Parish. Edouard Paradis died in 1902. In 1906, his widow sold the town’s site to Ortman W. Crawford, who requested permission to name the community “Paradis". Investors from Illinois, led by Julius Funk, developed plans for a model community at Paradis. They donated property for what became known as the Youngs School, a four-room school named for Dr. Luther Youngs, and paid half the cost for it, the school at the time being largest in the system.The development plan for Paradis also included an attempt to relocate the parish seat of government to Paradis, and the addition of a high school, sidewalks and street lighting.