Knowledge of some specialist terms can help narrow down research. Troops had exotic terms like Chasseurs Africaine (for french cavalrymen recruited from Algeria) or Zouaves (infantrymen, predominantly recruted from french algerians) Turcos (infantrymen predominantly recruited from Arab or Berber populations, Edit- this appears to be a nickname, and the troops would officially be classified as Tirraileurs) Goumiers (a different type of infantry, also Arab or Berber. Goumiers filled a role as auxiliaries attached to French formations in North Africa) or Spahis (Arab or Berber light cavalry). Collectively, these types of troops formed l'Armee d'Afrique.

For books to read, Fogarty's Race and War in France should be first on your list.

this article is a study of morale of French colonial troops on the western front. As such, it discusses Zouaves, Turcos, Spahis, as well as West African Tirialleurs Senegalais and even Indochinese troops.

Finally, the book France, War and Africa is a bit older, but still contains useful information on the experiences of colonial levies on the western front.