Newly-promoted Montpellier beat 10-man St Etienne 2-1 to move level on points with Lyon at the top of Ligue 1.
Second-half goals from Karim Ait Fana and Souleymane Camara did the job, with Gonzalo Bergessio's penalty only a consolation for Les Verts, who had Yoann Andreu sent off on the stroke of half-time.
Rene Girard's side have now won six of their nine league games so far, losing just once, and trail Lyon only on goal difference after they lost 2-0 at home to S! ochaux.
Claude Puel's team suffered a shock first defeat of the season in any competition as Jacques Faty and Sloan Privat gave Sochaux victory.
Coach Francis Gillot had spoken before the game of his desire to obtain a shock result for American striker Charlie Davies, who was hospitalised after suffering career-threatening injuries in a car crash which left a female passenger dead.
And they did so despite a second half of almost relentless pressure from the hosts, for whom the result is the worst possible preparation for Tuesday's Champions League clash with Liverpool.
Champions Bordeaux slipped one place to third after a second successive defeat away to Auxerre.
A second-half penalty from Valter Birsa was enough to separate the sides after Fernando Cavenaghi had missed from the penalty spot for Les Girondins.
Goals by Mathieu Valbuena, Brandao and Fabrice Abriel guided Marseille to an emphatic away victory over Nancy at the Stade M! arcel Picot that took them fourth in the table above Monaco, w! ho play Lens tomorrow.
Valbuena put the visitors ahead after just four minutes and they dominated the rest of the game before Brandao and Abriel wrapped the game up in the last 13 minutes.
The defeat will have come as a shock to Nancy who were unbeaten at home going into the game.
Rennes were frustrated in their attempts to break into the top five in Ligue 1 as they were held to a goalless draw by Lille tonight and stayed eighth, while Le Mans remained in the bottom three after a 1-1 draw at home to Boulogne.
Fabien Robert's injury-time strike from an Anthony Lecointe cross earned the newly-promoted side a point after Roland Lamah's header seemed to have given the home side all three points.
The draw was harsh on Le Mans, who dominated proceedings and forced a string of fine saves from visiting goalkeeper Mathieu Valverde - though Boulogne hit the crossbar through Guillaume Ducatel.
Valenciennes could afford to miss a penalty as first-half g! oals by Mamadou Samassa and Fahid Ben Khalfallah guided them to a straightforward victory over bottom side Grenoble.
Today's victory was only Valenciennes' second home win of the season but Grenoble are firmly rooted to the bottom of Ligue 1 with no points and just four goals in nine games.
