In
Switzerland, the German-speaking part of the canton of
Valais is the original region of the Walser. There are 26 Walser communities that were settled by the Walser migration (and seven others that originally were, but where Walser German is not spoken any more). These are:
Simplon, in Canton of
Valais;
Bosco/Gurin, in Canton of
Ticino; and the following communities in
Graubünden (Grisons):
Obersaxen;
Valsertal (
Vals,
St. Martin);
Safiental (
Valendas,
Versam,
Tenna,
Safien);
Rheinwald (
Medels,
Nufenen,
Splügen,
Sufers,
Hinterrhein,
Avers);
Schanfigg (
Arosa,
Langwies);
Albula (
Mutten,
Schmitten,
Wiesen);
Landquart (
Davos,
Klosters,
Furna,
Says,
St. Antönien,
Valzeina).
Wartau, (
Matug,
Walserberg,
Palfris) and Walser speaking people may live in the
canton of Geneva. In
Italy, there are nine communities that were settled by the Walser migration (and four others that originally were, but where Walser German is not spoken any more (with exception of a few elders)). These are:
Gressoney-La-Trinité,
Gressoney-Saint-Jean and
Issime (
Lys Valley, in the
Aosta Valley);
Formazza,
Macugnaga,
Campello Monti (
Verbano-Cusio-Ossola province);
Alagna Valsesia,
Riva Valdobbia,
Carcoforo,
Rimasco,
Rima San Giuseppe,
Rimella (Sesia Valley or
Valsesia, in
Vercelli province). In
Liechtenstein, there is one Walser community:
Triesenberg, including
Saminatal and
Malbun. Until the 1930s, the dialects of Walser German and
Romandy based on the
French language was still spoken among a few hundred residents. In
Austria, there are 14 Walser communities:
Grosses Walsertal (Blons, Fontanella, Raggal, St. Gerold, Sonntag, Thüringerberg),
Kleinwalsertal (Mittelberg, a
practical enclave of Germany),
Brandnertal (Brand),
Montafon (Silbertal), Reintal (Laterns), Tannberg (
Schröcken, Lech, Warth), all in
Vorarlberg; and in
Paznauntal (
Galtür), in
Tyrol. Additionally, Walser communities are reportedly found in
Haute-Savoie, France (Vallorcine, in the
Chablais), where the local Walser dialect is no longer spoken, and in the
Berner Oberland (or Bernese Highlands), Switzerland (Grimseljoch-Sustenpass area,
Lauterbrunnen,
Mürren, etc.), where the local Walser dialect has assimilated to the (likewise
Highest Alemannic) dialects of the Berner Oberland. Some Walsers later settled portions of eastern
Hungary, most were found in the
Tokay wine region. Walsers, along with
French Swiss speakers and
French (
Lorraine)
vintners from the French with wine-producing skills arrived in the 19th century by invitation of the
Austro-Hungarian Empire. Their descendants in the early 20th century were known as
Français du Banat or the "
Banat French", as well the ''Romandie de l'Ungerne'' or "the
Romandies of Hungary". ==References==