It was incorporated on January 1, 1983 and was named for its location straddling the Gatineau River north of Low.

It consists of two cities, fifteen municipalities, and five unorganized territories.

The area also has two Algonquin communities, Rapid Lake in the heart of the La Vérendrye Wildlife Reserve and Kitigan Zibi.

The territory of the Gatineau Valley is bordered by other Outaouais RCMs: to the east by the Antoine-Labelle Regional County Municipality, to the southeast by Papineau RCM, to the south by the Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais RCM and to the west by the Pontiac Regional County Municipality.

[6] The administrative centre for La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau is north of Kitigan Zibi in Maniwaki, previously the county seat of historic Gatineau County.