I never got the point of credit scores and outsourcing that math to a private third party.

How things work in France is much better, simpler and easier process for everyone involved. You ask a bank for a loan, and submit information about your current revenues and situation (in a couple or not, renting or not, children or not). The bank checks with Banque de France if you have outstanding loan obligations to other banks, and if they have you in their register of people that have failed to pay loans.

No third party private company has a ton of information about your life, which they make money of selling. Not everyone can just ask said third party about your personal life (e.g. landlords or employers) because it doesn't concern them.