It was formed through the merger of six municipalities in Val d'Anniviers: Ayer, Chandolin, Grimentz, Saint-Jean, Saint-Luc and Vissoie.

The present inhabitants of Anniviers are claimed to be descendants of Huns or a related people, who migrated to Europe from Central Asia, during or after the fall of the Western Roman Empire.

[4] The inhabitants of Val d'Anniviers generally became Christian much later than their neighbours; the Swiss travel writer Marc-Théodore Bourrit, in Description des Alpes Pennines et Rhetiennes (1781) writes of how the Bishopric of Sion struggled to convert the people of the valley, who long adhered to a pagan religion.

A century later, the Hungarian cleric and historian Mihály Horváth says of the inhabitants: "They say they are the descendants of the old Huns.

They have a common nose, broad chin, prominent shoulders and neck, and they are in general low-statured.

"[5] Other cultural features including folk art, cuisine and burial rituals are also said to support this link.

[11] While the valley's first cart path was cleared in about 1300, a wagon road was not built until 1854 for the transport of nickel and cobalt ores.

The paved road dates from 1955; it was constructed to allow transportation of materials needed to build the Dam Moiry.

[12] Most of the population (as of 2000[update]) speaks French (89.6%) as their first language, German is the second most common (3.9%) and Portuguese is the third (3.4%).

[12] The historical population is given in the following chart:[7][8][9][10][11][16] The Ilôt Bosquet and Chlasche in Grimentz is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance.

The villages of Ayer, Grimentz, Saint-Jean, and Vissoie along with the hamlet of Pinsec are all part of the Inventory of Swiss Heritage Sites.

The wettest month is August during which time Grimentz receives an average of 82 mm (3.2 in) of rain or snow.