Living, cycling and thriving in the south of France

Vie et Vélo encompasses multiple facets of our lives…originally it was the name for a slow travel cycle tourism business that we started as a way to realize our big dream of moving to the South of France in 2014.

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Vie et Vélo encompasses multiple facets of our lives…

Over the years, we shared our passion for French lifestyle and cycling with innumerable visitors to the region. And as the business grew, we began to weave in new discoveries and passions from our life here. wine tastings, personal sports mentoring and creative glass fusion to name just a few. The pandemic lockdown in 2020 changed our perspective again, and Vie et Vélo pivoted to include our freelance professional work as remote working (or “télé-travail” as it is known here) became our reality.

Eventually Vie et Vélo has become almost a code word for “living in France” and all the multiple skills and threads that this entails.

What we do

Cycling

We still get out on our bikes almost every week.

With over 300 days of sunshine per year, Languedoc is ideal for cycling year-round. Our homebase in Caux is located about 40 km’s from Montpellier in the heart of the Languedoc vineyards.

Glass fusion

I believe everyone needs a creative outlet and my media of choice is glass.

What exactly is glass fusion you might ask? Glass fusing is officially defined as the heat bonding of separate pieces of glass in a kiln. It is a fun creative outlet to make unique pieces of jewellery or whatever takes my fancy.

Learning and development

Since relocating to France, I provide instructional design, medical writing, training facilitation, project management and L&D consulting services to clients in the health care and education industrieson a freelance basis.




We are still

Cycling in Languedoc

From April, the spring temperatures of the Mediterranean climate are warm, rejuvenating the fields and vineyards in a profusion of colour. This is our favourite time to ride especially when the poppy fields are blooming.

The months of July & August are sunny and hot. Heading out for a morning or evening ride is a great way to balance the stresses of a working day. Cooler temperatures begin to return in September allowing for longer rides. The autumn is a fascinating time to cycle through the vineyards and watch the grape harvest in action and take in the stunning changing colours of the Languedoc.

There are many quiet routes to cycle through the vineyards with rolling hills, garrigue and quaint villages we never tire of exploring. For the more adventurous (which I admit is rarely me) challenging climbs are within an hour’s ride.

Glass fusion

Glass is a beautiful and flexible medium to create artistic projects both big and small. I started experimenting in fused glass in 2012, but it wasn’t until 2016 when I was able to invest in my own kiln that I was able to set up my studio and really begin fully immersing myself in the medium.

I was originally trained in printmaking, and I love the deeply textured and layered effects that deep etching provides, giving my printed pieces a timeworn effect.

I work in a similar way when creating in glass, responding to melded forms that emerge from the kiln, layering, shaping and refiring until I have achieved the effect I am seeking.

I also offer introductory workshops for individuals or small groups.

Learning and Development

With over 20 years in strategic communications and training in the health care sector, I now work on a remote freelance basis with existing clients and connections. I work primarily with med and health comms agencies, but also directly with corporate learning and development and commercial excellence teams within pharmaceutical companies, medical associations, and academia.

Denise

I am versed in the effective application of adult learning principles and technologies to the development of blended learning solutions that drive performance. I have actively participated in every stage of the project development process from conducting initial needs assessments to evaluation of the final programme’s impact.

I am an experienced coach and facilitator with global audiences including executives.

Let’s work together

I am passionate about effective communication in health care. Now more than ever, we have an important role to play in patient and HCP education.

If you have a project you want to discuss, get in touch.

Get in touch

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