I lived in Belgium for a while and it was awesome. With the absence of hard borders, it's very hard to distinguish France from Wallonia, it feels just like another region with another accent. Most Belgians I know (French speaking) will have some form of ties to France and vice versa: marriage, residence, work... Now of course there is a starker contrast going to Flanders than going from France to Wallonia, and in my experience Flemish people were all super nice and I loved it just as much but of course, it's not the same cultural familiarity I'd experience with Wallons.

Just be aware that French people will make fun of pretty much anyone, including themselves. It's just part of the culture, any Belgian bashing is to be taken with a light hearth, we love Belgium.