Nice reached their first Coupe de France final since 2022 as two goals from Elye Wahi helped seal a 2-0 win over Gary O'Neil's Strasbourg in Wednesday's semi-final.
Having won the competition three times as a player with Monaco, Claude Puel will now look to repeat the trick in his managerial career against Lens in next month's showpiece.
After a cagey start from both teams, Wahi was presented with the game's first clear-cut opportunity in the 13th minute, but after playing a neat one-two with Tom Louchet, he saw his prodded shot tipped onto the post by Mike Penders.
It was then Strasbourg's turn to squander two glorious chances 10 minutes later, with Julio Enciso's effort from Diego Moreira's cutback cleared off the line by Antoine Mendy before Martial Godo somehow blazed over the rebound from six yards out.
Enciso then dragged an attempt narrowly wide in the 50th minute, and Nice made the most of that reprieve 70 seconds later through Wahi, who drilled the ball into the bottom-left corner after being slipped in behind by Jonathan Clauss.
Strasbourg pushed for an equaliser late on as Enciso curled narrowly wide of the far post before Gessime Yassine lashed another Moreira delivery over the crossbar.
However, they were hit with a sucker punch eight minutes from time after Ismael Doukoure brought down Mohamed-Ali Cho inside the penalty area, with the spot-kick awarded after a VAR review, and Wahi made no mistake from 12 yards as he sent Penders the wrong way to seal the win.
Data Debrief: Clinical Nice on the cusp of glory
Not since 1997 have Nice been crowned the Coupe de France champions, with the closest they came coming four years ago when a 47th-minute penalty from Ludovic Blas saw Nantes emerge victorious at the Stade de France.
And after a difficult season in Ligue 1, where they find themselves four points above the relegation play-off place, Nice could have something to cheer about at the end of May, and their victory here could be a good omen for them.
The only previous clash between Nice and Lens in the Coupe de France had seen a 5-0 victory for the Aiglons in the round of 32 in 1954, an edition they went on to win.
Puel's side were made to work for their triumph, but their clinical finishing proved to be the difference. They ended with an expected goals (xG) total of 1.64, with 1.31 of that tally coming from Wahi, from their four shots, to Strasbourg's 1.25 from their 17 attempts.