But there is no need for any of the world's superpowers to start counting their weaponry just yet, the declaration of war is not a violent one and will largely involve a blockade of tractors and lorries across the main road to Andorra which the villagers of Porta hope will effectively cut Andorra off from its livelihood - tourists.

'We will move when the time is right. The word will go out in the evening and we will attack in the morning. Or we will decide in the morning and attack in the afternoon,' declared M Marty who is also an executive of a road haulage company.

Porta's bugbear has been simmering for nearly forty years since the border between France and Andorra was marked on the maps but President Charles de Gaulle failed to have a physical border marked on the terra firma itself. Francis Marty explained: 'All French borders are marked by boundary stones, all except one - ours. It is marked on maps, yes, but it is not marked on the ground. We know where we think it is but the Andorrans have other ideas. They are always building houses over the line and then insisting that they are Andorran, not French.'

But why, after four decades, protest now with the blockade tactic? According to a report from the Financial Times, France has given Andorra 90 acres of uninhabited and uncultivated rock from Porta to help build a viaduct and tunnel for a new bypass out of the landlocked territory. And in return the Andorrans gave the community of Porta 90 acres of uncultivated rock on the other side of the border.

'Contrary to what's been said,' claimed Mr Marty, 'we have nothing against the exchange of land in itself. The problem is that the Andorrans, by our reckoning, have taken more than they were supposed to. This is the kind of thing that's always going on and will carry on, because there are no frontier markers on the ground.'

As a result of the rock swap exchange, Porta sought the opportunity to end the dispute by demanding a final agreement on exactly where the border markers should be placed. However, although the French and Andorran authorities agreed on a new border line, no marker stones appeared because French officials insisted that the ground was much too mountainous for such an operation and they argued that the border was agreed on paper and that should be an end to the dispute regardless of whether or not the frontier is physically marked.

M Marty says he has to take matters into his own hands because the French government is not offering sufficient support. He believes that Paris is attempting to avoid any conflict with the Andorrans because the principality traditionally has been under Spanish influence and the government wants to see that change.

'We are not unreasonable people,' the mayor opined, 'we have good relations with Andorra in most respects. We are good neighbours but we are fed up with this constant nibbling away of our land. You would imagine that the French government would be on our side but it seems to be on theirs. We have no choice but to take action to defend our territory.'