Pedro Pauleta returned to haunt his former club by scoring a hat-trick as Paris St Germain virtually ended Bordeaux's slim hopes of hauling in runaway leaders Lyon at the top of Ligue 1.

Pauleta, Portugal's all-time leading goalscorer, also heads the scoring charts in France's top flight this term and he made it 20 for the season by netting three times - including one from the penalty spot - in the opening 44 minutes.

Bordeaux's Edixon Perea had made it 1-1 in the 22nd minute but the visitors could not find a way back into the match after the break and they now find themselves 12 points adrift of Lyon with just six games remaining in the league.

As for PSG, the victory - only their second in 11 games - puts them within two points of Auxerre, who occupy Ligue 1's final European place.

Pauleta was twice voted player of the year in France during his successful stay at Bordeaux but any sentiment was left in the dressing room as he immediately set about tormenting his former employers.

He opened the scoring in the seventh minute when he headed Bernard Mendy's telling cross beyond the reach of Bordeaux goalkeeper Ulrich Rame.

But Perea restored parity 15 minutes later by meeting Antonio Mavuba's deep cross with interest from the left side of the penalty area.

After seeing his team-mate Paulo Cesar shoot just wide, Pauleta doubled his tally for the evening in the 37th minute by rolling home a penalty after the striker himself had been brought down in the area by Marc Planus.

And he completed his hat-trick just before the break by getting on the end of a Jerome Rothen centre to nod home.

That may have been the end of the scoring but it certainly was not the end of the chances.

Pauleta almost claimed a fourth but his 55th-minute shot flew just over the bar while Edouard Cisse and Cesar wasted further openings for PSG.

Bruno Cheyrou had Bordeaux's only opportunity in the second half but his well-struck effort from 30 yards in the 69th minute was beaten away by PSG goalkeeper Lionel Letizi.