European Rugby Champions Cup La Rochelle (30) 49 Tries: Aguillon, Bougarit, Botia 2, Rattez 2 Cons: James 3, Lamb 2 Pens: James 3 Wasps (12) 29 Tries: Miller, Young, Daly, Simpson, Stuart Cons: Gopperth 2
Wasps suffered a second Champions Cup defeat of the season as La Rochelle continued their unbeaten run in Europe.
The two sides exchanged five tries in the first 30 minutes as Wasps were twice reduced to 14 men and the hosts capitalised to lead 30-12 at half-time.
Vincent Rattez added two more either side of Elliot Daly's score as Wasps launched a late charge with Joe Simpson and Will Stuart securing a bonus point.
But Levani Botia scored La Rochelle's sixth to cap a fine attacking display.
Dai Young's side began the day in second place in Pool One, but slipped to third after Ulster's 17-5 victory at Harlequins. and are nine points adrift of leaders La Rochelle.
Wasps travelled to La Rochelle for the first meeting between the two teams, trailing the competition debutants by five points in the pool.
It was a tough ask for the English outfit against a side who are eight points clear of Toulon in the French league and have seen off both Ulster and Harlequins with bonus-points wins in Europe.
And the visitors were dealt a double blow when they lost starting full-back Willie Le Roux to illness before kick-off and were reduced to 14 men after seven minutes when Thomas Young was sent to the sin-bin for a tip-tackle.
Despite having gone behind to a Brock James penalty, it was Wasps who crossed first as replacement full-back Rob Miller held off two defenders to touch down.
But the Premiership side, who were guilty of committing too many errors all afternoon, let the hosts back in when Pierre Aguillon charged down a poor clearing kick from Danny Cipriani before a Wasps overthrow at the line-out saw 20-year-old hooker Pierre Bougarit dive over.
Flanker Youngs showed power and pace to score out wide on his return to the field but La Rochelle were in again through Botia after quick ball at the ruck.
And with La Rochelle utterly dominant in attack, Juan de Jongh was sin-binned for a deliberate knock-on minutes before the break to add to Wasps' woes.
Hooker Pierre Bougarit, 20, scored a try in his first professional matchThe hosts secured the try bonus point just five minutes into the second half and Wasps had themselves to blame once again as Elliot Daly forced a turnover with La Rochelle on their line but his clearing kick was charged down and Rattez slid over in the corner.
Daly and Rattez then traded blows before La Rochelle's inexperience in Europe threatened to let Wasps back into the game.
Cipriani redeemed himself with a deft chip-kick to Daly, who fed Joe Simpson for the bonus-point score before Stuart drove over from the maul.
But La Rochelle once again showed they could score with ease as Wasps had to settle for a single bonus point before next weekend's crucial return match at the Ricoh Arena.
CHAMPIONS CUP POOL ONE Team Played Won Drawn Lost For Against Bonus Pts Points La Rochelle 3 3 0 0 124 73 3 15 Ulster 3 2 0 1 53 55 0 8 Wasps 3 1 0 2 79 78 2 6 Harlequins 3 0 0 3 42 92 1 1
La Rochelle: Murimurivalu; Sinzelle, Doumayrou, Aguillon, Rattez; James, Bales; Priso, Bougarit, Atonio, Eaton, Jolmes, Kieft, Veivuke, Vito.
Replacements: Maurouard, Forbes, Boughanmi, Sazy, Gourdon, Goillot, Lamb, Ranger.
Wasps: Le Roux; Wade, De Jongh, Gopperth, Daly; Cipriani, Robson; McIntyre, Johnson, Cooper-Woolley, Launchbury, Gaskell, Haskell, Young, Carr
Replacements: Cruse, Harris, Moore, Myall, Willis, Simpson, Eastmond, Lovobalavu.
Referee: John Lacey (Ireland