Bordeaux got their bid for a European berth back on track with a 2-0 victory at Brest on Saturday evening.
Yoan Gouffran opened the scoring in the 35th minute and Jaroslav Plasil doubled the advantage three minutes into the second half to leave Bordeaux in control.
Brest had a chance to set up a tense finale for the visitors when they won a 76th-minute penalty, but Bruno Grougi's effort was saved.
Bordeaux came into the game on the back of successive defeats to Montpelier and Nice to slip further off the pace of the leading teams, but they looked in determined mood from the start today and could have been well ahead before Gouffran opened the scoring.
Ludovic Obraniak and Gouffran both failed to make the most of chances in the opening 11 minutes while Brest goalkeeper Steeve Elana did well to keep out Benoit Tremoulinas' shot in the 22nd minute.
The breakthrough finally arrived 10 minutes before the interval when Gouffran slotted in the rebound from close range after his team-mate Michael Ciani had hit the post following a corner.
Gouffran then turned provider to help Bordeaux extend their lead at the start of the second half.
He nodded Mariano's cross into the path of Plasil, who crashed an unstoppable header past Elana.
The visitors continued to push for more goals and Tremoulinas volleyed over at the far post before Elena kept out a good effort from Obraniak following a cut-back from Nicolas Maurice-Belay.
At the other end, Brest had been creating little to worry Bordeaux keeper Cedric Carrasso but they were handed a great opportunity to get back into the game when Ludovic Sane fouled Alexandre Alphonse inside the area to concede a penalty.
However, Brest could not take advantage as Grougi's spot-kick was saved by Carrasso.
