The odds are still stacked in Croatia's favour as no team has recovered from 2-0 down to win the trophy since Australia beat the United States in 1939.
France have kept their Davis Cup final hopes alive as Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert beat Croatian pair Ivan Dodig and Mate Pavic 6-4 6-4 3-6 7-6(3).
Yannick Noah's champions had their backs against the wall after losing both Friday's singles, but Herbert and Mahut reduced the deficit to 2-1 and ensured the last Davis Cup in its present guise will stretch into Sunday.
The odds are still stacked in Croatia's favour as no team has recovered from 2-0 down to win the trophy since Australia beat the United States in 1939.
But with 26,000 mainly flag-waving French fans set to flock back into the cavernous home of Lille's soccer club on Sunday, hope still remains.