CHENNAI: Paris: 48.86°N latitude; Saarbrucken: 49.23° N. They are in the same time zone, too. Paris is about an hour 48 minutes away from Saarbrucken on a high-speed train. Proximity to Paris, similar weather conditions and its setting has turned the cultural city into an ideal destination for Paris-bound athletes to train ahead of the Olympics starting from July 26.

The sprawling Sportscampus, Saar, (as it is called) is spread over nine hectares with landscaping and greenery. More than the salubrious settings, the training facilities have attracted athletes from all over the world. About 400 athletes from 27 countries and five continents are housed at the Saar campus right now. Among them are a bunch of Indians — double Olympic medallist PV Sindhu, Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra (was training until July 7), the table tennis and the boxing teams (both men and women) along with coaches and support staff.

The chief executive officer of Sportscampus, Saar, Johannes Kopkow, during a virtual interaction with this daily, outlined the nuances of his facilities and what they have managed to provide for Indians. Kopkow believes the unique positioning of the city has added to its demand. “It’s just 1 hour 48 min away from Paris. It’s the same time and climate zones.