The town's Mayor Dominique Dupilet has set up a special task force, "Mission 2012", that is designed to attract countries to prepare in Calais, which is only 21 miles from Dover and London is easily accesible in an hour by the Eurostar.

 

A delegation from the French port, which was actually officially part of England from the 14th to 16th century, is already travelling around the world trying to sell itself to teams looking to set up a pre-Games training camp before London 2012.

 

Dupilet claims that the canoeing teams from Senegal and Uzbekistan have signed up for a pre-Games training camp, and the Algerian boxing and Egyptian volleyball squads are interested in staying there.

 

Dupilet said: "Who wants to go to Birmingham?

 

"In Pas-de-Calais the French lifestyle is better.

 

"And as for the food over there, well, forget it."

 

Birmingham was among the first British cities to tie-up a deal with an overseas team when, in 2007, they signed an agreement for the United States track and field team to be based there before London 2012.

 

But Dupilet is hopeful that Calais can cash in on its close proximity to London, especially as he claims hotel rooms in the area are 30 per cent cheaper than in Britain.

 

To lure prospective athletes, the Pas-de-Calais department is pumping €20 million (£17.2 million) into building and renovating 20 training facilities, including a new velodrome and a wrestling hall.

 

Birmingham does not currently have a velodrome.

 

Dupilet said: "London 2012 is our economic-stimulus plan.

 

"This is the beginning of our development as a sporting home.

 

"When you go to the United States and say, 'I am from the Pas-de-Calais,' people have no idea what you are talking about.

 

"This will put us back on the map."