Graeme McDowell was among the early leaders as the HNA Open de France got under way in glorious conditions at Le Golf National.
The Rolex Series arrived in France at the venue hosting this year's Ryder Cup and punishing rough contributed to just 21 players being under par in the early stages.
McDowell - the champion here in 2013 and 2014 - has been named as a European Vice Captain for the biennial spectacular in September but has spoken of his desire to play his way onto the team if possible.
He was doing his chances no harm on the outskirts of Paris, turning in 32 from the tenth to sit at three under alongside Australian Brett Rumford and English pair Andy Sullivan and Chris Wood.
Home favourite Grégory Havret, England's Steven Brown, Scot Scott Jamieson and South African Brandon Stone were then at two under, a shot clear of a group containing World Number Two Justin Thomas.
Northern Irishman McDowell birdied the 11th, 12th and 15th to hit the front and while he dropped a shot on the 16th, he picked it straight back up from 15 feet on the 17th.
Rumford was one of the day's very early starters and made birdies on the first, third and 11th in his first 12 holes, with Sullivan also bogey-free through eight, picking up strokes on the 11th, 12th and 17th.
Wood made a fast start, making gains on the first, third and fourth.
Jamieson had birdies on the third and ninth is his first ten holes, while Havret picked up shots on the third and fifth in his first six.
Brown was another man bogey-free after picking up birdies on the 12th and 13th but Stone had a more rocky route to two under, birdieing the second, third and sixth but dropping a shot on the fifth.
