Ayent is a municipality in the district of Hérens in the canton of Valais in Switzerland .

The Ayent area is first mentioned in 1052 as Agent. In 1250 it was mentioned as Argenta.

Ayent has an area, as of 2009, of 55.1 square kilometers (21.3 sq mi). Of this area, 10.42 km2 (4.02 sq mi) or 18.9% is used for agricultural purposes, while 13.35 km2 (5.15 sq mi) or 24.2% is forested. Of the rest of the land, 2.55 km2 (0.98 sq mi) or 4.6% is settled (buildings or roads), 0.75 km2 (0.29 sq mi) or 1.4% is either rivers or lakes and 27.97 km2 (10.80 sq mi) or 50.7% is unproductive land.