Winger Anthony Mounier scored his eighth goal of the season as Nice beat visiting Lorient 2-0 on Sunday to ease its relegation worries.
Goals from Anthony Mounier and Renato Civelli shortly after half-time set up a Nice win that moved them two points clear of Lorient, who fell into the drop zone.
Lorient's day was further soured with the dismissal of Alaixys Romao on 78 minutes.
Nice have now lost just once in their past seven league games and the tone was set for back-to-back victories in a first half they dominated without scoring.
Mounier went close with just seven minutes on the clock when he blasted a volley narrowly wide after he met a Elliot Grandin cross.
Lorient's only chance of the half should have been converted by Bruno Ecuele Manga who was left with just David Ospina to beat following a quick counter-attack.
Jeremie Aliadiere's pass had set Ecuele Manga through but Ospina blocked his shot.
Nice were quickly back on the front foot with Kafoumba Coulibaly seeing a sweetly-hit volley deflected away before Fabrice Abriel's header was well kept out by Fabien Audard.
Nice had only to wait four minutes after half-time for their reward when Mounier opened the scoring with a placed shot following an incisive breakaway.
Their lead was doubled on 57 minutes as Lorient's defenders failed to pick up Civelli from a Grandin free-kick and the Argentinian made them pay with a cool finish.
Nice could have had a third only for Kevin Anin to shoot wide but it mattered little as moments later Romao saw red as Lorient slipped into the bottom three.
