I am pretty sure, though, that the black expatriates living in France overestimated their reception there. In some circles, blacks were probably accepted as just one of the gang. In many cases, though, there was a degree of tryophyism – it was considered chic to have a black at the table.
The French are quite ethnocentric, and to be truly equal you need French lineage. Otherwise, you are merely tolerated.
International fame, of course, counts for a lot. In the case of Baldwin or Baker, it was not just a black person but a famous person who was accepted. Also appreciated is artistic talent, even without fame. It would not be nearly as easy to enter French society for an unknown and not artistic person.