Monaco moved up to third in Ligue 1 on Saturday with a 2-0 win at Angers, while Lille slid to a damaging defeat at Nantes following their Champions League exit.
Danish striker Mika Biereth's 11th goal in nine games for Monaco gave the visitors the lead late in the second half before Maghnes Akliouche made sure of the victory by converting a penalty.
Adi Huetter's team climbed above Nice on goals scored and into the automatic Champions League qualifying places, with Lille losing ground after going down 1-0 away to Nantes.
Mostafa Mohamed powered in a header with seven minutes remaining to earn Nantes just their sixth win of the season to send them six points clear of the drop zone, reports AFP.
Lille, knocked out in the last 16 of the Champions League by Borussia Dortmund in midweek, are three points behind Monaco and Nice, who conceded a stoppage-time equaliser in Friday's 1-1 draw with Auxerre.
Wesley Said scored the only goal as Lens beat Rennes 1-0 to stay in the hunt for European football.
Runaway leaders Paris Saint-Germain could stretch their advantage to 19 points with a win over bitter rivals Marseille at the Parc des Princes on Sunday, opening up the possibility that they could be crowned champions before March is out.
PSG have lost just once to Marseille in 25 meetings in Ligue 1 since 2011.
