Glasgow coach Sean Lineen told the Scotsman: "At this stage of the season the priority for us is ensuring all the players get something out of this week, and that comes above the results of the games for me.
"This is going to be a big season again, where there is a bit of pressure now on myself, the other coaches and the squad as a whole to pick ourselves up for what was an ultimately disappointing season last year.
The full Glasgow squad is in France but while current internationalists such as Chris Cusiter, Thom Evans, Kelly Brown and John Barclay will train every day they will not play. Max Evans is unlikely to make the start of the season in his return from a serious knee injury, but could start running again by the end of this week, while forwards Fergus Thomson (Achilles), Ed Kalman and James Eddie (both shoulder) are recovering from injuries.
For tonight's match with La Rochelle Rob Dewey, Dave McCall and Hamish Mitchell will make their first start for the club. Chris Kinloch, who grasped his opportunity to impress in France last year, starts on the wing.
Ayr's Paul Burke comes in on the openside flank. Like McCall, Burke is on a training contract with Glasgow.
There will be major changes for Friday's game against Clermont with Mark McMillan and Ruaridh Jackson taking over at half-back, Peter Horne and Hefin O'Hare in the midfield, with DTH van der Merwe and Peter Murchie joining Colin Shaw in the back three.
Sean added: "We know the games will be very tough – La Rochelle have a reputation for being very physical – but this week is more about what we get from it and giving everyone some game-time, than worrying about the opposition.
"We have also introduced new defensive plans and some new attacking ideas, and this is where we start to get them working.
"The trip last year played a big part in us starting the season with a win against the Dragons, and I'm hopeful it can provide the same initiative this year."
14 Hefin O'Hare
13 Dave McCall
12 Rob Dewey
11 Chris Kinloch
10 Dan Parks (CAPTAIN)
9 Colin Gregor
1 Kevin Tkachuk
2 Pat MacArthur
3 Hamish Mitchell
4 Dan Turner
5 Tim Barker
6 Calum Forrester
8 Richie Vernon
7 Paul Burke (Ayr)
Substitutes
Justin Va'a, Jon Welsh, Dougie Hall, Johnnie Beattie, Richie Gray, Mark McMillan, Ruaridh Jackson, Peter Horne, Peter Murchie, Colin Shaw, Chris Fusaro (Heriot's, National Academy)