In a game low on quality in the final third, the Malian teenager curled home just past the hour mark to settle matters on Wednesday.
The game was preceded by a minute's silence as football reflected on the shootings in Paris earlier in the day.
Both sides struggled to make the most of their chances at the Stade Pierre Mauroy, with Cedric Barbosa wasteful for Evian early on.
A draw would have been enough to lift Pascal Dupraz's side out of the bottom three but they were left to rue a moment of quality from substitute Traore after 61 minutes as he guided the ball home to lift Lille to 11th.
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