Uncapped centre Wesley Fofana will make his debut for beaten World Cup finalists France in their opening Six Nations game against Italy on Saturday.
Fofana, 24, will link up with Clermont team-mate Aurelien Rougerie in the centres in new boss Philippe Saint Andre's first game in charge.
"Fofana's a classy player. I want him to show what he's been showing in the Top 14," said Saint Andre.
"We've given him a chance, it's up to him to seize it."
Toulouse's Louis Picamoles starts at number eight at the expense of Imanol Harinordoquy.
Montpellier fly-half Francois Trinh-Duc returns to the side and will link up with Biarritz's Dimitri Yachvili, who was preferred to Morgan Parra at scrum-half.
Ten of the players who started the World Cup final, which Les Bleus lost 8-7 to New Zealand, are in Saturday's team.
Italy won last year's encounter 22-21 to secure their first ever Six Nations win over France.
France team: Maxime Medard (Toulouse); Vincent Clerc (Toulouse), Aurelien Rougerie (Clermont), Wesley Fofana (Clermont), Julien Malzieu (Clermont); Francois Trinh-Duc (Montpellier), Dimitri Yachvili (Biarritz); Vincent Debaty (Clermont), William Servat (France), Nicolas Mas (France), Pascal Pape (Stade Français), Lionel Nallet (Racing Metro), Thierry Dusautoir (Biarritz) (captain), Julien Bonnaire (Clermont), Louis Picamoles (Toulouse).
Replacements: Dimitri Szarzewski (Stade Français), Jean-Baptiste Poux (Toulouse),Yoann Maestri (France), Imanol Harinordoquy (Biarritz), Morgan Parra (Clermont), Lionel Beauxis (Toulouse), Maxime Mermoz (Perpignan)