There were emotional scenes in Calais today as migrants from counties such as Eritrea and Sudan queued to board coaches heading for different parts of France.
'Please choose me!' they shouted at officials, while explaining that life in the giant shanty town was more squalid and dangerous than ever.
They are being relocated to 160 'welcome and orientation centres' across the country.
Migrants from the 'Jungle' camp in Calais wait under police surveillance for a bus heading to a 'welcome and orientation centre'
The French government has been accused of creating 'mini-Jungles' as it disperses large groups of migrants away from Calais
But the French government move to force thousands of UK-bound migrants out of Calais have prompted claims new 'micro-Jungles' will be created instead.
At the moment the Jungle camp in Calais has a population of around 10,000, but the government has vowed it will be destroyed by the end of the year.
The ruling Socialists have put aside 12,000 places in units across the country - with their locations spread out as far as the Alps and the southern and western coasts.
Some buses were seen leaving Calais with just 20 people on them today
Government chiefs believe this will address the build-up of migrants in Calais, but opponents have hit out at the plan.
Christian Estrosi, president of the opposition Republicans in the Provence region, said the problem is simply being dispersed.
He said: 'Nothing authorises the government, just a few months before a presidential election to play the sorcerer's apprentice.
'I oppose creating so many micro-Jungles at the heart of our regions.'
In a letter to the government, Mr Estrosi said the move would have 'very serious financial consequences' too.
People in the Jungle migrant camp are being taken to one of 160 'welcome and orientation centres' across France
Similar dispersal schemes in the past have seen the migrants simply returning to Calais a few weeks later.
Fighting often breaks out between rival gangs, while sanitary conditions regularly threaten to spread serious illnesses.
Despite this, coaches with a capacity of 60 could be seen leaving the Jungle with only 20 people on board.
It is estimated that there are 10,000 people in the Jungle camp in Calais, which the French government has pledged will have been destroyed by the end of the year
This is because of teething problems in the administration of the new centres, which are not yet equipped to handle the vast numbers eventually expected, said sources from the local prefecture.
As tempers frayed, CRS riot police were drafted in to protect officials dealing with the queues building up to get on the coaches.
Migration will be a big issue when rivals go head to head as France elects a president next May.
Right-wing parties including the Republicans, who are led by former head of state Nicolas Sarkozy, want to see all UK-bound migrants sent straight to England.
A head of mission at the Nord-Pas-de-Calais prefecture selects the migrants from the 'Jungle' migrant camp who will board a bus
Migrants wait under police surveillance for a bus to take them further into France today