Toulon's Armitage, who won five England caps between 2009 and 2010, is listed alongside South African scrumhalf Rory Kockott and Australian flyhalf Brock James as France coach Philippe Saint-Andre has been tinkering with his halfbacks since taking over from Marc Lievremont after the 2011 World Cup.
Armitage, whose England international brother Delon also plays for Toulon, was last season named European player of the year after helping Toulon win the Heineken Cup and French league title but he has been overlooked for England selection due to Rugby Football Union rules that say overseas-based players will be selected only in extraordinary circumstances.
International Rugby Board (IRB) eligibility rules state that a player can play for a country he was born in, one parent or grandparent was born in or in which he has completed "36 consecutive months of residence immediately preceding the time of playing".
A player who has represented his national team is not normally eligible to play for another country but if he plays in an Olympic-related sevens event then it seems he is now eligible to represent a second nation in the 15-man game.
The IRB, however, warned against unions trying to use the sevens loophole to bolster their 15-man teams.
"There is a regulations committee that will look at all applications for transfer and they will look to see if it's for bona fide sevens reasons," IRB chief executive Brett Gosper said.
"There is a safety net and any transfer will have to be passed by the committee. They will act according to the spirit of the law."
(Editing by Mitch Phillips)
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