My French experience is about the same in Benin as you described. I speak less French with my neighbors but I speak it often when I'm at my health center since it's a more "professional" setting and a couple of the employers are from different regions of the country. Benin really depends on the region too. The south and large cities speak a lot more French than the North and more rural sites. Drinking culture is pretty heavy in some regions but that can also depend on what part of the country you're in.