Defending champion Bernd Wiesberger moved into the lead as the second round of the 100th Open de France got under way at Le Golf National.
The Austrian came into Friday one shot behind overnight leader Lucas Bjerregaard after birdieing two of his last four holes in the first round and he carried that momentum into a blistering start to round two.
The three-time European Tour winner started on the tenth and made gains on his first two holes. Three pars followed but three birdies in a row from the 15th put him in total command.
A triple-bogey on the 18th brought him back to the pack but five consecutive pars left him at six under and with a one-shot lead over Mikko Ilonen and Bjerregaard.
Dane Bjerregaard was among the later starters but Ilonen was making a move up the leaderboard with four birdies and a single bogey in his first 11 holes.
Spaniard Adrian Otaegui had produced the only bogey-free round on Thursday and he joined Wiesberger in the lead with gains on the second and third but gave the shots back on the seventh and eighth.
Anders Hansen, Thongchai Jaidee, Joost Luiten and Matthew Southgate were then out on course at three under.
