With two unbeaten Ligue 1 records on the line, something was always likely to give at the Groupama Stadium.
It was Rennes’ resistance that broke first as a defence-splitting pass freed Corentin Tolisso in behind the visitors’ back line, and he retained his composure to square for Ernest Nuamah to sweep home the opener.
The Lyon wide man ought to have doubled his advantage 10 minutes later when Tolisso picked the pocket of Przemyslaw Frankowski and Lois Openda squared for Nuamah to sweep home what would have been his second, but a stunning Brice Samba save denied him.
Nuamah was proving to be a thorn in Rennes’ side, and he wasn’t to be denied twice, finally doubling his tally for the evening when a lightning-quick Lyon counter culminated in Pavel Sulc cutting the ball back for Nuamah to tuck into the far corner.
The first half ultimately descended into chaos as discriminatory chants from the stands forced the players to be taken off the pitch.
Play did eventually get back underway after a 15-minute delay, and it was more of the same in terms of how the game panned out, with Lyon creating a gilt-edged chance to take a three-goal lead into half-time, only for Openda to drag an effort narrowly wide from inside the area.
Lyon captain Tolisso’s message in his half-time interview was for his side to start the second half brightly, and they did just that, adding their third within five minutes of the restart.
Abner Vinicius’ delivery was only half-cleared by the Rennes defence, and Zachary Athekame was on hand to slam home from inside the six-yard box.
Openda thought he’d added a fourth just after the hour mark, but it was ruled out for a foul in the build-up, while Khalis Merah whipped a free-kick narrowly over the bar moments after coming off the bench as the Lyon siege on the Rennes goal showed no signs of abating.
There was no such reprieve 15 minutes from time when Tolisso steered an effort into the top corner from the edge of the area.
Seeing out a first clean sheet in six home league games was the primary objective in the closing stages for Lyon, who survived a huge scare when Esteban Lepaul’s effort was cleared off the line.
But they ultimately managed to keep the back door shut to the delight of Paulo Fonseca, who sees his side go into the three-week international break among Ligue 1’s early pacesetters.
Flashscore Man of the Match: Ernest Nuamah (Olympique Lyonnais)