Glasgow's late comeback came up just a point short at the Stade Mayol. Trailing by a point at half-time, the Warriors never quite got in front but nor were they ever out of the fight.
Glasgow head coach Franco Smith has taken mock umbrage at the suggestion he was following the example of Rassie Erasmus in loading his bench with a stack of frontline players.
It was the French who caught the eye in round one with six of their eight teams winning, including Stade Rochelais and Toulon away from home.
The Warriors have conquered the URC and proven their mettle. Now they must break new ground in Europe.
Glasgow head coach Franco Smith has confirmed he expects to be without Scotland fly-half Adam Hastings for at least the next three months.
Scotland pair Jack Dempsey and Huw Jones will both make their first appearances of the season for Glasgow in Friday’s United Rugby Championship match away to Cardiff.
With ten frontline operators including Finn Russell, Ben White, Blair Kinghorn and Zander Fagerson given a summer off and Darcy Graham and Andy Christie still recovering from injury, opportunity knocks for a host of players in the Scotland squad heading on tour to North and South America.
Gregor Hiddleston and Kyle Steyn both ran in a pair of tries as Glasgow kept their bid to finish top of the United Rugby Championship on track with a bonus-point 40-9 win over Zebre Parma.