He studied literature at Lausanne, where he joined the Society of Belles Lettres, and worked two years as a reader at the University of Florence.
In the late sixties he temporarily left the Neuchâtel Jura for a long stay in the United States where he taught French literature at the University of Illinois at Urbana–Champaign.
He also published two novels, La Statue de Condillac retouchée (1973), Soft Goulag (1977) and an essay, Contre-pouvoir, where he questions culture and its requirements.
In addition to these books, there are numerous publications in reviews, a "essay-poem", Onir (1974), a tale, Le Chat muche (1986).
Yves Velan received the Grand Prix C. F. Ramuz and the literature prize of the canton of Neuchâtel for his work.