This is how my thinkpad is connected:

Wall -> Power Cord (3-pin) -> 3-pin-Adapter (with integrated connector to your thinkpad) -> Thinkpad

I want to have a shorter power cord than I have now. Do you know of alternative manufacturers for this?

Most North-American AC adapters have only 2-prong power cords (3-4 foot long with 2-prong US-plug).
You can get different lengths on eBay and in electrical stores.
Get one of those and find the matching French power cord.
You could also cut off the current power plug, shorten the cable to your liking, and attach another (non-molded) power plug.

Would shortening (not shorting ) your current (sorry) power cord with a cable tie serve your needs?

I want to have fewer things to carry around with me. I like the apple power adapter, you plug it directly in. I prefer to have this for my thinkpad, too.

Something like this: http://cn1.kaboodle.com/hi/img/b/0/0/2b ... 2915597000 but at an angle is what you need. The connector on the wire is called "C5", the one on the power brick is the "C6".

I just took this:

http://www.yung-li.com.tw/en/products/adpt_euro.htm

Can't get it much shorter than that!
What about a socket that is a few feet (say 60cm) up in the air?
How do you support the brick itself?

Yes, it is very short. I just let the plug "plugged in" in the adapter all the time.

I thought about stability of the connection between adapter and plug, but in europe we have an ac adapter with a three pin connector, I just tested it out with my cable I have around here and the 65 watt brick is so light, at least the lenovo three pin connector makes such a solid connection between 3-pin-adapter and 3-pin-connector, that I could use it even horizontally! 3 pins can be more solid than 2 pins, I don't know. I hope the new plug fits as solid good as the lenovo one.

If you hold the adapter in the one hand, and the cable in the other hand, the weight difference is not much different. So lightweight is the 65 watt adapter itself.

I have updated the link to the manufacturer page:

http://www.yung-li.com.tw/en/products/adpt_euro.htm

I just ordered two, one with the Mickey Mouse three hole and the other with the two hole with corresponding US AC wall connectors. Each $5.00, and $10.00 for ground shipping [assume UPS/FedEx].
The company is in North Carolina: StayOnline.COM [sales tax for NC];
Their item numbers:
3160 for the US three prong
1429 for the US two prong
They have similar connectors for Europe and elsewhere with good visuals of the item.

Targus makes a universal slim adapter that ships with lenovo adapters. slightly on par with apple, not as good as the old dell rubber-straps though.

The targus slim adapter is heavier than the 65 watt from lenovo.

Those things are cool, but I went in the opposite direction
Six feet of cable on either side of the adapter