Upvote:6
The Chinese government seems to have officially sanctioned entities that do this, and are distinct from the consulates and embassies. In Toronto, for example, it is done by the China Visa Application Service Center. Their info page says:
Where do I apply for a visa?
If you hold an ordinary passport, you should submit your application at the Visa Centre in the country where you lawfully reside. Holders of diplomatic and service (official) passports or applicants eligible to apply for China's diplomatic, courtesy and service visas, and applicants applying for a visa to the Hong Kong or Macao Special Administrative Region of China should still apply directly to the Chinese Embassy or Consulate General.
The explanation of the Paris center is given here (in French).
Prices are shown below translated to English- note the line "Rates excluding visa center service fees".
So we go to China Visa Application Service Center to find the total fees here- the web page format is identical to the Canadian one- and it appears that EUR 175. is the correct fee for a Schengen citizen for all but a group visa (with Express handling). You have to enter a capcha and go through a few pages before you find the fees, so I'm not sure the above deep link will persist but below is the relevant section of the price list as of now.
So, you did the best you could. It would be interesting to know where all that money is going.