Lucho Gonzalez opened the scoring for the champions midway through the second half and Loic Remy doubled their advantage in the 79th minute, with Christophe Landrin grabbing a stoppage-time consolation for the visitors.

Elsewhere, Kevin Gameiro's hat-trick was just one point of note as Lorient romped to an eventful and at times bizarre 5-1 victory over Bordeaux.

The hosts' top scorer produced a dazzling display of finishing and Morgan Amalfitano and Arnold Mvuemba also found the net, but that tells only half the story.

Mvuemba's goal came from a penalty retaken due to encroachment, with the original scorer Franco Sosa dismissed for his protests over the decision.

And Bordeaux, for whom Fernando scored a consolation goal, lost keeper Cedric Carrasso to a second yellow card in stoppage time.

Sochaux stormed seven points clear of the relegation zone and left Lens mired in the bottom three after a dramatic 3-2 win which saw both teams reduced to 10 men before half-time.

Goals from Nicolas Maurice-Belay and Modibo Maiga put Sochaux two goals clear inside the opening half-hour, but Lens came back to draw level through Issam Jemaa and Alaeddine Yahia.

Yahia's goal came after Kevin Anin and Toifilou Maoulida were both sent off following a flare-up, but Lens could not stay on level terms for long, and Ryad Boudebouz secured the points for Sochaux with a 65th-minute winner.

A late comeback from Valenciennes denied Caen a victory which would have boosted their fight against relegation.

Caen looked to have taken a decisive advantage when Benjamin Nivet and Sambou Yatabare put them 2-0 up.

But Gregory Pujol and Steven Langil struck in the final 10 minutes to earn a point for the visitors.

Strugglers Auxerre and Arles shared the spoils in a tepid encounter at the Stade de l'Abbe-Deschamps as Ireneusz Jelen scored a late equaliser for the hosts.

After struggling to reach half-time level, rock-bottom Arles took a shock lead through Deme N'Diaye and looked on course for the win until Jelen scored.

Finally, Jonathan Ayite was on target twice as Brest defeated struggling Monaco 2-0.