Good to know
Good to Know
- Portuguese is the second most spoken language in Grimentz (4%), reflecting presence of migrant workers, likely tied to tourism and construction sectors.
- About 81.8% of apartments are seasonally occupied, indicating a highly transient population in peak seasons with dramatic swings between quiet winters and bustling summer/ski-season peaks.
- The village is primarily French-speaking (92.3%), consistent with its location in the Valois canton's French-speaking region.
- Employment is tourism-heavy: 37% of tertiary-sector jobs are in hotels and restaurants, indicating strong seasonal labor demand.
- Digital nomad and entrepreneurial communities are growing through coliving spaces like Swiss Escape, attracting remote workers and location-independent professionals since 2016.
- Tourism infrastructure (skiing, hiking, cable cars) is the primary economic driver; no major tech industry presence.
Primary Languages
French
- Percentage
- 92.3
- Status
- first language
- Speakers
- 373
Portuguese
- Percentage
- 4
- Status
- second most common
- Speakers
- 16
German
- Percentage
- 2.2
- Status
- third most common
- Speakers
- 9
Italian
- Percentage
- < 0.5
- Status
- spoken
- Speakers
- 2
Notable Businesses
Swiss Escape
- Type
- Coliving and coworking space
- Description
- First coworking and coliving space in Switzerland for freelancers, entrepreneurs, and teams. Operational since 2016, capacity up to 15 people across two chalets.
Grimentz-Zinal Cable Car (Remontées Mécaniques)
- Type
- Ski infrastructure operator
- Description
- Primary operator of ski lifts and cable cars serving winter tourism, with ongoing energy efficiency initiatives.
Alt.1550 Business Hub
- Type
- Professional/conference space
- Description
- Modern business space (140 m²) with offices and meeting rooms, located 25 minutes from Sierre, positioned for retreats and incentive events.
Employment Breakdown Tertiary 2000
Hotel and restaurant
- Percentage
- 37.2
- Workers
- 58
Sale or repair of motor vehicles
- Percentage
- 19.2
- Workers
- 30
Movement and storage of goods
- Percentage
- 10.3
- Workers
- 16
Insurance or financial industry
- Percentage
- 3.2
- Workers
- 5
Technical professionals or scientists
- Percentage
- 3.2
- Workers
- 5
Education
- Percentage
- < 0.5
- Workers
- 1
Population
- Permanent Residents
- 385
- Data Note
- Population figure of ~385 is from earliest available census; varies by source between 385-475 recorded in 2000-2007 period. Seasonal swelling to ~4,000 in winter confirmed by multiple sources.
Seasonal Peak Winter
- Season
- Winter (ski season)
- Estimate
- 4000
Foreign Born Details
- Born In Grimentz
- 229
- Born Outside Switzerland
- 58 persons (14.4% of ~403 population in 2000)
- Born In Same Canton Valais
- 65
- Born Elsewhere In Switzerland
- 52
Primary Sector
Tourism and hospitality
Worker Commuting
- Commuting In
- 49
- Net Position
- Net importer of workers
- Commute Ratio
- 1.7 workers entering for every 1 leaving
- Commuting Out
- 29
Tech Economy Note
Limited formal tech sector presence. Economy heavily dependent on seasonal tourism (winter skiing, summer hiking). Emerging digital nomad presence via coliving spaces, but no major tech companies or startups registered.
Foreign Born Percentage
14.4
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
Sources cited for this category
These are the sources cited in this local demographics research for this city. Individual figures may not each trace to one of them.
More About Grimentz
Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.