Second-placed Lyon are now one point adrift of Bordeaux, who appeared weary and clueless against Lille and conceded two goals from midfielders Yohan Cabaye and Florent Balmont.
"It's nice to take points at home but if you take no point away, it is very hard to stay top," Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc told reporters.
At their Gerland stadium, Lyon failed to make the most of Bordeaux's slip-up.
Miralem Pjanic volleyed home after only three minutes following a bad clearance by the Marseille defence. The visitors, however, hit back nine minutes later when Stephane M'Bia deflected a Souleymane Diawara header past Lyon keeper Hugo Lloris.
Lyon reacted swiftly. Sidney Govou slalomed through the Marseille half before unleashing a curling shot past Steve Mandanda to make it 2-1.
LOPEZ DOUBLE
Didier Deschamps's side did not make the most of their posession until just before half-time when Lloris, who had been brilliant in a 1-1 Champions League draw against Liverpool on Wednesday, failed to handle a Bruno Cheyrou 25-metre strike.
"Well, scoring five goals to snatch only a point, it's a bit frustrating," Marseille midfielder Fabrice Abriel told French TV channel Canal Plus.
"There were a lot of chances, a lot of good play and we provided the crowd with a good show but it's a bad result for both teams," said OL defender Aly Cissokho.
