LA BONNE GRAINE - Ecole d’Ameublement de Paris

What LA BONNE GRAINE - Ecole d’Ameublement de Paris does

La Bonne Graine - École d'Ameublement de Paris is a French non-profit vocational training center (CFA) operating since 1866 and recognized as an Association d'Utilité Publique since 1912. Governed by elected professional artisans through the C.A.I.A. (Chambre d'Apprentissage des Industries de l'Ameublement), the school provides state-certified vocational diplomas (CAP, BMA, BP) in 13 furniture-making and decorative arts trades, including ébénisterie (cabinetmaking), menuiserie en siège (seat carpentry), marqueterie, sculpture sur bois, tournage, tapisserie en siège, tapisserie en décor, dorure (gilding), encadrement (framing), emballage (professional packaging), and rentraiture (tapestry restoration). Teaching combines theoretical coursework (art history, technical drawing, CAD) with intensive practical workshops delivered through a French-style alternating schedule in a single 3,300 m² facility in the historic Faubourg Saint-Antoine furniture district of Paris (200 bis, boulevard Voltaire, 11th arrondissement).

The institution delivers training through two primary go-to-market channels: apprenticeship programs (15-29 year olds) in which apprentices sign contracts with master craftsman employers and train through alternation between school and workshops, and reconversion programs for adults 30+ funded via France Travail, CPF, or Transitions Pro. No tuition is charged to apprentices; reconversion programs are priced per trainee (e.g., €13,475/year for Ébénisterie reconversion for the 2026 academic year, €10,325/year for Dorure). The school employs approximately 38 staff, led by Director General Jérôme Theveny and President Arnaud Seigneur (a tapissier en siège alumnus and Légion d'Honneur recipient), and operates with no external venture capital, sustaining operations through apprenticeship funding, regional subsidies, and public training mechanisms.

Revenue is not publicly disclosed and the entity holds Qualiopi quality certification (renewed every 18 months since May 2021). Student outcomes are reported externally: pass rates of 90-100% across most programs (e.g., CAP Ébénisterie at 97-100% from 2022-2025) and satisfaction rates of 91-100% for recent reconversion cohorts. The school participates in industry networks including Campus Mode Design et Métiers d'Art and Campus Versailles, maintains an alumni network ("La Main") with directory and job listings, and distributes a podcast ("Le Podcast Fait à la Main") across YouTube, Spotify, and SoundCloud. It earned the Happy at School label from Choose My Company in 2023 and 2024.

Name

LA BONNE GRAINE - Ecole d’Ameublement de Paris

Legal name

École d'Ameublement de Paris - La Bonne Graine

Website

https://labonnegraine.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1866

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

La Bonne Graine is a 1866-founded Parisian non-profit CFA providing state-certified vocational diplomas (CAP/BMA/BP) in 13 furniture-making and decorative arts trades, serving young apprentices (15-29) through master-craftsman contracts and adults (30+) via reconversion programs, financed primarily through public apprenticeship funding mechanisms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Education & Artisan Training

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Apprenticeship Training (611513), Professional and Management Development Training (611430)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Finish Carpentry, Millwork & Cabinetry (EDAOAAAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Carpentry & Framing (EDAOAAAA), Real Estate, Appraisal & Mortgage (Agent/Broker CE, Appraiser CE) (EDAAALAI)

Keywords

• Vocational crafts training
• Artisan apprenticeship programs
• Furniture making education
• Decorative arts trades
• Cabinetmaking school

Headquarters

HQ city

Paris

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Apprenticeship Training: The school is a CFA (Centre de Formation d'Apprentis) providing apprenticeship training funded through the French alternating training system. Revenue is primarily derived from apprenticeship contracts, where employers pay apprentices a salary and the school receives public funding for training. Students pay no tuition fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

La Bonne Graine is a Centre de Formation d'Apprentis (CFA) providing vocational training in 13 traditional French furniture-making and decorative arts trades, including cabinetmaking (ébénisterie), gilding (dorure), marquetry, wood sculpture, woodturning, seat carpentry, upholstery (seat and decor), framing, packaging, and tapestry restoration. Training is delivered through two main models: apprenticeship (apprentissage) for youth aged 15-30 combining school and employer contracts, and reconversion intensive full-time programs for adults seeking career changes. The school awards state-recognized CAP, BMA, and BP diplomas certified by the French Ministry of Education.

Product overview

La Bonne Graine is a vocational training center (CFA) offering traditional crafts education through two delivery models: apprenticeship programs combining school-based theory with employer-based practical training, and professional retraining programs for adults seeking career changes. The institution provides 13 distinct trade programs including CAP-level certificates in cabinetmaking (Ébénisterie), gilding (Dorure), framing (Encadrement), packaging (Emballage), seat carpentry (Menuiserie en siège), seat upholstery (Tapisserie en siège), decorative upholstery (Tapisserie en décor), marquetry (Marqueterie), wood sculpture (Sculpture), woodturning (Tournage), and tapestry repair (Rentraiture). Advanced programs include the BMA (Brevet des Métiers d'Art) in cabinetmaking and BP (Brevet Professionnel) in upholstery. The school operates from a single location in Paris's historic Faubourg Saint-Antoine furniture district, with partner workshop 'La Main' facilitating alumni networking and job placement.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Apprenticeship Programs (Apprentissage) Vocational training programs delivered through apprenticeship contracts combining theoretical coursework at the school with practical training in partner businesses, covering 13 traditional crafts trades. For youth aged 15-30 seeking initial vocational qualifications (CAP, BMA, BP).
• Career Retraining Programs (Reconversion) Professional retraining programs for adults (30+ years) seeking to transition into traditional crafts trades, featuring intensive full-time coursework interspersed with internships. Funding via France Travail, CPF, or Transitions Pro.
• CAP \u00c9b\u00e9nisterie (Cabinetmaking Certificate) State-certified level 3 diploma preparing students in woodworking, furniture construction, veneering, and finishing techniques. Available in 2-year or 3-year formats for apprentices, and 539-hour intensive format (€13,475/year) for career changers.
• BMA \u00c9b\u00e9nisterie (Advanced Crafts Certificate - Cabinetmaking) Level 4 state diploma for experienced craftspeople seeking advanced skills in cabinetmaking, following completion of equivalent CAP.
• CAP Dorure (Gilding Certificate) State-certified level 3 diploma in leaf gilding on wood and other substrates, covering preparation, mold-making (moulage), engraving, gold leaf application, and finishing techniques. Reconversion: 413 hours, €10,325/year.
• CAP Encadrement (Framing Certificate) State-certified level 3 diploma in professional picture framing and artwork presentation, covering mounting, matting, and finishing techniques for protecting and displaying works on paper.
• CAP Emballage (Professional Packaging Certificate) State-certified level 3 diploma in professional packaging for artworks, antiques, and industrial equipment, covering design, construction of transport crates, and installation.
• CAP Menuiserie en Si\u00e8ge (Seat Carpentry Certificate) State-certified level 3 diploma in seat frame construction (carcasses for chairs, armchairs, sofas), covering traditional joinery techniques and materials.
• CAP Tapisserie en Si\u00e8ge (Seat Upholstery Certificate) State-certified level 3 diploma in seat upholstery covering traditional garnishing techniques with crin, webbing, springs, and fabric application for chair restoration and creation.
• CAP Tapisserie en D\u00e9cor (Decorative Upholstery Certificate) State-certified level 3 diploma in decorative textile work including curtains, cushion making, bedding, and drapery using both hand and machine sewing techniques.
• CAP Arts du Bois - Marqueterie (Wood Arts - Marquetry Certificate) State-certified level 3 diploma in marquetry creating decorative patterns from wood veneers using techniques including Boulle-style work, covering design, cutting, and assembly.
• CAP Arts du Bois - Sculpture (Wood Arts - Woodcarving Certificate) State-certified level 3 diploma in wood sculpture for decorative elements, moldings, and furniture ornamentation, requiring advanced drawing and art history skills.
• CAP Arts du Bois - Tournage (Wood Arts - Woodturning Certificate) State-certified level 3 diploma in woodturning using the lathe to create forms from bowls to architectural elements, requiring precision and volume sense.
• CAP Rentraiture (Tapestry Repair Certificate) State-certified level 3 diploma in tapestry and rug restoration using weaving and knotting techniques to repair damaged areas while respecting original designs.
• BP Ameublement Tapisserie D\u00e9coration (Professional Upholstery Certificate) Level 4 state diploma in upholstery combining advanced seat upholstery techniques with decorative work including passementerie and cushion making.
• La Main Alumni Network Association and network connecting current and former students of La Bonne Graine, providing job listings, classified ads, artisan directories, and mentorship opportunities to support career development.

Quantifiable outcome

• CAP Ébénisterie exam pass rate of 97–100% across recent cohorts (2022–2025)
• +3 more outcomes

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Campus Mode Design et Métiers d'ArtcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLa Bonne Graine is a member of the Campus Mode Design et Métiers d'Art network, which groups together higher education institutions in fashion, design, and craft trades. Students may pursue further studies within this campus network.
• Campus VersaillescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLa Bonne Graine collaborates with Campus Versailles on joint projects including an upcycling initiative for CROUS Versailles furniture, and shared student pathways between institutions.
• Chambre de Métiers (Chambers of Trades)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe school works with regional Chambers of Trades for additional training pathways such as the BTMS (Brevet Technique des Métiers Supérieurs) in cabinetmaking.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Compagnons du Devoir: France-wide guild-based apprenticeship network training young people in traditional trades including wood, furniture, and upholstery. Directly comparable as a competing apprenticeship pathway for the same rare-trade talent, with similar reliance on master craftsman mentorship and a tour-de-France mobility model.
• École Boulle: Paris-based public school of fine and applied arts covering furniture, cabinetmaking, and decorative crafts. Direct peer because both operate in the same Paris artisan-education ecosystem, teach overlapping ébénisterie-adjacent trades, and compete for the same pool of apprentice candidates and master craftsman employers.
• CFA des Compagnons du Tour de France: Historic network of CFAs run by the Compagnons du Tour de France association. Directly comparable as a competing CFA delivering CAP-level diplomas in traditional crafts (wood, upholstery) via apprenticeship, drawing from the same apprentice-employer ecosystem.
• Lycée des Métiers d'Art – École de Tapisserie d'Aubusson: Specialist French school delivering training in traditional tapestry and decorative textile crafts. Directly comparable as a rare-trade vocational school teaching CAP-level diplomas through apprenticeship, serving a similar cultural-heritage end market.
• ENSAAMA Olivier de Serres: Public applied-arts school in Paris offering CAP/BMA programs in wood, textile, and decorative crafts. Directly comparable because it delivers similar state-certified vocational diplomas in furniture-adjacent trades and shares the same apprenticeship model and Paris location.
• AFPIA (now FIBOIS / Ameublement Formation): Industry-specific training centers for the French furniture and wood industries. Directly comparable because they deliver vocational training for the same ébénisterie and furniture trades and are funded through the same OPCO/industry channels.

Broad incumbents

• GRETA Île-de-France: Public adult continuing-education network across Île-de-France offering vocational reconversion programs. Comparable as a competing reconversion provider funded through France Travail/CPF, though with a much broader catalog that includes non-craft disciplines.
• CMA Formation (Île-de-France): Training arm of the Île-de-France Chamber of Trades delivering CAP/BP programs in artisan trades including cabinetmaking and upholstery. Comparable because it competes for the same apprentice candidates and runs under the same OPCO apprenticeship funding model.

Others

• Mobilier Formation (UNAMA): Industry body associated with the French national furniture workshops (Mobilier national) supporting transmission of rare upholstery and ébénisterie trades. Comparable as an ecosystem participant that influences training standards and is referenced as a partner institution in La Bonne Graine's network.

Regional players

• École Supérieure d'Ébénisterie de Bordeaux: Regional French school specializing in ébénisterie and fine cabinetmaking outside Paris. Comparable as a competing apprenticeship pathway for ébénisterie CAP/BMA, but its geography (southwest France) means it does not directly overlap La Bonne Graine's catchment area.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/labonnegraine11
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UChpxespj6CNzMWyWg-wxfqg
• Facebookfacebook.com/ecolelabonnegraine
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/school/la-bonne-graine-ecole-d-ameublement-de-paris
• Instagraminstagram.com/labonnegraine

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about LA BONNE GRAINE - Ecole d’Ameublement de Paris