A French Carte de Séjour gives you no additional rights in any other EU county. You get the same visa waiver period where-ever and no more.
For a Carte de Résident (not Carte de Séjour) you do need to demonstrate A2 language skills. Not that high a bar.
Because that was the subject of the OP, having a Spanish visa on arrival from the UK, stamped and then returning directly to country of residence, France, without an exit stamp from Spain.
@JaneJones I am interested in that, can you explain the difference between a Cd R and a CdS? Maybe the former was what the aide was talking about when saying her friend had to undergo lessons in Bordeaux.
Also, can a CdS holder visit other Schengen countries without a visa then?
As a final summing up, I would say that anyone resident in France, who is concerned about being able to prove that they have returned home to France on a given day, needs only to go to their Mairie, explain the situation, and ask the Mairie to place their official stamp in their passport.
Know your Mairie, and especially the chief secretary / receptionist. Be nice, make sure you are correctly registered as living in the commune, and all will be well.
Excellent idea. Now the folks who object to having a border entry stamp in their passport will have two. Love the irony!
Can’t see that a Maire would be ok with this. They may be a lot locally, but they aren’t immigration/border control officials .
Exactly, there is probably a rule that only official border stamps and visa may be placed in a passport. Can’t see what relevance it would have anyway.
For David. Carte deSéjour is for a séjour, so a specific period. Carte de résident is for permanent residence. I think there are moments also when TCNs validate visa and are packed off for medicals and French language assessments/tutoring.
Thank you Jane, but I am still confused, I did a bit of googling while awaiting your reply and it said that that the Carte de Resident was for family members coming to live with CdS holders. Your explanantion sounds more likely though if there is an element of compulsory language ability required.
The other thing I read was that Gill (the aide) is partially right, CdS holders can visit other Schengen countries without a visa but still limited to the 90/180 day rules. In fact the CdS acts as a visa and, of course a passport must be carried at all times.
Trouble is, in this area, other explanations are available. 
I’ve now got a mental picture of people randomly stamping their own passports!
Très expat… 
Coming soon to a border near you:
Mind the doors!
In which case, just ask them to stamp a sheet of their letter headed paper with a few words that confirm physical presence.
Or take a time/date stamped ‘selfie’ outside the building with the name plaque visible over your shoulder. Hold that day’s local paper in your other hand so that the headline / date is visible.
There really are so many different ways to prove your physical location on any given day.
Just needs a little lateral thinking and a bit of innovation.
I do think it is important to remember that Immigration Officers love their children too. A reasonable explanation of circumstances will always win out.
Just be nice, smile, and volunteer the full purpose of your journey without waiting to be asked. You never know, you may even get a stamp that says “Admitted in Transit”.
I recall that when visiting the States some years ago (Boston Logan) following the twin towers attack, it was advised as a definite no-no to even look at the border official, certainly not to attempt to engage with them in any kind of conversation or facial expression as that might be misconstrued.
I see where you are going with that but there’s a problem. That might place you somewhere on a given date/time of course but is perhaps not the required proof that you left the other State within the 90 days permitted and more particularly remained outside that State in the intervening period…
Personally, I think that simply “being oneself” is often best…
Quite some time ago…
When meeting some folk from a war-torn country, whose ways are very different to ours…
As the only woman, I was told to keep my eyes down, on no account to smile… not to offer my hand… and do not speak!
(all of which goes against the grain, but taken on board)
As we approached, one of the group stepped forward, offered me his hand and said a firm, polite “good morning/hello” sort of greeting.
I looked him straight in the eye, clasped his hand, replied with a clear greeting and my usual smile…
and everyone relaxed… phew…
A Carte de Séjour is not a travel document. It merely shows your right to live (and work if right sort of CdS) in the country that issued it.
However a UK passport gives you the right to stay in any Schengen country for up to 90 days.
What odd advice.
You have to look at the official checking your documents so they can visually compare your boat race to your passport photo.
I’ve had my entry to the USA processed by CBP officers which had a sense of humour and some that could out-scowl Russian FSB officers.
Don’t forget when it was…
we were travelling internationally with a young babe, when the Munich massacre happened…
very difficult/stressful times for ordinary travellers and staff/officials/security…
All change next year when European Entry/ Exit System starts…now that is going to be fun as it seems every none Schengen entrant will be photographed and finger printed on initial visit.
But will stop the wrong stamping of passports.
very interesting… and should be in place for November 2023
Now, why not go the whole hog and get the DNA too?
Scary, but in a few years it may come to that…
On the downside though, isn’t this going to slow up drastically passport control queues for several months, particularly in the tourist season ?