Bordeaux moved up to third, level with on points with last season's Ligue 1 champions Paris St Germain after a 2-1 win at struggling Lens.
Wahbi Khazri opened the scoring midway through the first half for the visitors before Cheick Diabate doubled their advantage just before the break.
Yoann Touzghar reduced the arrears with a second-half penalty, but Bordeaux were worthy winners as they moved onto 24 points, with seven wins from 13 matches.
Talk coming into the match was centred around visiting boss Willy Sagnol, who received widespread criticism for comments he made in an interview with the Sud-Ouest newspaper where he appeared to generalise about players from different cultural backgrounds.
Sagnol said his side were "big boys" who could cope with the racism storm, but it was the home side who carved the first opportunity after 13 minutes.
Touzghar released Baptiste Guillaume on the left flank, he dribbled past Cedric Yambere into the penalty and forced a decent save from Cedric Carrasso.
However Bordeaux, who were without defenders Tiago Ilori, Theo Pellenard and Lamine Sane, midfielder Nicolas Maurice-Belay and forwards Jussie and Henri Saivet took the lead after 24 minutes.
Thomas Toure broke free on the left before freeing Khazri whose clinical right footed effort beat Valentin Belon.
Carrasso was called into action just after the half hour mark to deny Jean-Philippe Gbamin from 12 yards and just four minutes before the break, Lens were made to pay for their missed chances.
Khazri turned provider, threading an excellent pass to Diabete who rounded Belon and passed the ball into an empty net.
Lens struggled to recover from the setback Diabete and then Gregory Sertic both went close.
The home side were however given a lifeline on 73 minutes when Marc Planus fouled Pablo Chavarria, with the resulting penalty tucked into the right hand corner by Touzghar.
They could not kick on however and Bordeaux came close to extending their two-goal advantage late on but Diabete shot over from close range.