vue que

[alan gould]

i just came across it in the middle of a sentence and looked it up -- "given that"/"in light of the fact that."  Can it be used to start a sentence as it can in english?  

thanks 

[Vedas]

Except that it is " vu que" it's true that there might be some confusion with à la vue de ( at the sight of) and many French people make the mistake. You can also find "au vu de" 

It is said to be an old fashionned phrase but I think I use it a lot when I speak.

It also seems that it is more common in Quebec

Malgré son jeune âge, Élise fume au vu et au su de tous (in the sight of everybody/openly). Ses parents, vu leur faible autorité, sont incapables de l’en empêcher. À première vue (at first sight,on the face of it), ils semblent plutôt irresponsables.

And yes you can find it at the beginning of a sentence:

Vu les circonstances, je retire ma proposition.

Vu que la situation a évolué je me retire des discussions

Vu que tu pars en voyage, nous ne nous verrons pas.