15/06/2026
Trying to convince kitchen vendors in France of your ideas is one, getting a reasonable price is another. Since Schmidt delivered the kitchen downstairs, and it is a really good kitchen, of course this was my first stop. A vendor came, measured the kitchen. Then long time no hear. After my short pre season break, one month later, I tried again. Thus a nice lady came along, measured the kitchen, again long time no hear. Some weeks later I was in Vesoul, had some affairs to take care of and decided to bomb in at Schmidt. Nice guy, we sat down got the usual undrinkable coffee and sketched the raw contours of two extra cabinets to stock my ever growing collection of pots and pans and a lot of cooking toys. So far so good. Via email came his first version, not what I meant. Wrong composition. After some weeks a second design a big change from the first. After over 19 years in France I thought my french was good enough, but apparently the nice guy of Schmidt completely missed the point of having 2 new cabinets to store my stuff. Radio silence. Again I found myself in their shop, explaining the idea of having two extra cabinets in my kitchen. Then came the price. Over 10K. Shock! Sure I was not going to pay 10K for a set of drawers and cabinets. Told him to hold his reigns and come with a realistic price. Since in heir own shop a complete kitchen with all and everything was priced below 10K. Stoic as french become in such cases he kept up that this was the correct price. After some weeks a third design was delivered. Again totally missed my needs. Next dealer the little man in my head screamed! So the next one was Alvira who did the kitchen in our apartment upstairs. More or less the same result. Last Saturday I tried a third one in Luxeuil-les-Bains. But, though the smiles were the same, I'm afraid the actions will also be the same.
What is wrong with these French guys? They seem to miss the business or entrepreneurial spirit. Making a few 1000 bucks with virtually little effort seems too much. I simply want things to be done the way upon one agreed. No change of plans or prices halfway the project.
Understand, I love living in France, I love the savoir vivre, the food and the small talk while enjoying a glass of red... or coffee. But doing business and getting things done how one wants it done, that has proven to be difficult. Even when there is a perfect communication.