Les Gones won 2-1 at Rennes to go top on goal difference from Montpellier, who were held to a goalless draw by Monaco.

However, defending champions Bordeaux, who were beaten 2-1 at home to Nancy, have two games in hand over their rivals and are just one point behind.

A much-changed Lyon team came from behind to defeat Rennes.

Asamoah Gyan had given Rennes the lead in a first half dominated by the visitors, and it looked as though Lyon coach Claude Puel could regret his decision to rest several key players following the 3-1 Champions League quarter-final first-leg win over Bordeaux.

But second-half goals from Michel Bastos and Lisandro Lopez ensured Les Gones would leap to the top of the table.

Montpellier are their nearest challengers at present, but could only earn a point in a stalemate at home to ninth-placed Monaco.

Nancy claimed a 2-1 win as Bordeaux suffered a third straight loss.

Les Girondins lost to Marseille in the Coupe de la Ligue final last Saturday, before being beaten by Lyon in Europe on Tuesday.

A third loss followed in the league as Issiar Dia scored a superb solo goal after 72 minutes.

Nancy had scored first through Youssouf Hadji, with Fernando Cavenaghi equalising before the break only for Dia to have the final say.

Fifth-placed Lille were defeated 1-0 at Valenciennes, with Mamadou Samassa netting the only goal eight minutes from time.

Eighth-placed Lorient kept alive their slim hopes of European football next term with a 2-1 win at Grenoble.

Nassim Akrour had put bottom club Grenoble in front after three minutes, only for Kevin Gameiro to equalise after 32 minutes and substitute James Fanchone to net the winner five minutes from time.

Cedric Varrault and Yohan Benalouane were on target as St Etienne beat Le Mans 2-0 to boost their survival hopes.

St Etienne finished the contest with 10 men as Kevin Mirallas was sent off.

Nice and Sochaux, meanwhile, played out a goalless draw.