Council bosses in northern France have secured their latest Olympic contract by claiming to be the part of southern England the British have forgotten.
Officials in Pas-de-Calais, in northwest France, are trying to rebrand the area in a bid to cash in on London 2012.
Pas-de-Calais recently signed a contract with the boxing, wrestling, judo and athletics teams of Chad to hold training camps in the region ahead of 2012.
The canoe and kayak teams of Uzbekistan and Senegal had already agreed to train in Pas-de-Calais ahead of the London Olympics.
Civic leader Dominque Dupilet told Sky News: "I consider that we are the south of England, and because we're the south of England it's normal that we would associate ourselves with this extraordinary event."
Referring to Paris' failed bid to stage the 2012 Games, Dupilet said: "Don't tell anyone, but I always thought London was better for us.
"My colleague was telling me to write a condolence card when Paris lost, but I was busy hoisting up the British flag."
Tourism bosses are launching a website in the next few weeks, which will offer advice to local hoteliers on how to cater for international tourists.
Pierre Nouchi, who owns a hotel in the area, said: "Visitors will be able to benefit from the quality of our region, the quality of the French way of life, and they're scarcely two hours from London.
"These days, if you're going from one area of London to another it takes that time anyway, what with the public transport. Here you have the quality and it's less expensive."
The idea of a Frenchman passing himself off as English may seem tongue-in-cheek, but officials here are taking the project seriously.
Mission 2012 involves some €100m (£87.6m) of local investment, to be spent on everything from hotels to sporting facilities.
The region already boasts four centres of national excellence, and building work is under way on what will be the largest gymnastics centre in Europe.
Officials are keen to stress that they are not in competition with London in trying to attract foreign teams, they are simply offering an alternative.
Nonetheless, the message from Mr Dupilet to foreign teams is unequivocal: "Come and train here and you will win in London."
Pas-de-Calais does have a genuine claim to English rule - albeit a historical one.
The area's biggest city, Calais, was ruled by England for 200 years following the Hundred Years War. It became the last piece of France to be recaptured from the English, in 1558.
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