Lyon made the most of Nimes having two players sent off in the first half as they thrashed Ligue 1's bottom side 4-0 away to climb to fifth in the standings on Friday.
Nimes midfielder Theo Valls was shown a straight red card when the game was barely four minutes old for a studs up challenge on teenager Maxence Caqueret and Memphis Depay put Lyon ahead in the 16th minute with a 'Panenka' penalty.
The home side's problems worsened when Gaetan Paquiez earned two bookings within three minutes to leave Nimes with nine men in the 40th minute and Dutch international Depay doubled Lyon's lead in the 64th with a superb low strike from distance.
Houssem Aouar's deflected strike and a long-range effort by Joachim Andersen completed the rout to leave Lyon on 25 points after 17 games, level with sixth-placed St Etienne who are in action at Stade Reims on Sunday. Nimes are 20th on 12 points.
