Paris is a city and county seat of Bear Lake County, Idaho, United States. Located on the western side of the Bear Lake Valley, the city's population was 513 at the 2010 census, down from 576 in 2000. Paris was settled on September 26, 1863, by pioneer settlers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Paris was settled by a group of dedicated Mormons led by Charles C Rich. During early years, pioneers suffered difficulties with the harsh cold climate, however their determination and faith kept them from leaving the area. Paris is the location of the Bear Lake Stake Tabernacle, a sandstone church designed by Joseph Don Carlos Young and built between 1884 and 1889. It seats around 1,400 people. History Paris was founded by Mormon pioneers, under the direction of Charles C. Rich on September 29, 1863. The settlers believed the town to be located in Utah until a survey in 1872 showed that it was in Idaho. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , of which, is land and is water. Paris lies in a high valley of the Rocky Mountains, at nearly in elevation. Due to the high elevation, cold winters, late springs and mild summers are the norm for Paris and the area. Most of the surrounding country is used for ranching. Demographics 2010 census As of the census of 2010, there were 513 people, 202 households, and 144 families living in the city. The population density was . There were 299 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 97.9% White, 0.4% African American, 0.2% Asian, 0.6% from other races, and 1.0% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.3% of the population. There were 202 households, of which 27.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 64.4% were married couples living together, 4.5% had a female householder with no husband present, 2.5% had a male householder with no wife present, and 28.7% were non-families. 26.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.54 and the average family size was 3.11. The median age in the city was 40.2 years. 27.1% of residents were under the age of