Back to Brussels after 8 walking days, from Briennes le Château to Vézelay...
By now, Metropolly, you must be well on your way, so this information might not be very uselful for you.
About crowds : 'Which crowds???'
I mostly heard about pilgrims passing behind me, or having spend a night before me in the hostal. And they were few!
I was always the only pilgrim in my accomodation; the first 'crowds', I met in Vézelay: one woman to start in Vézelay towards the Pyrenees, 3 women to start towards Rome (or Assisi) and one man arriving behind me from the north.
It was gorgeous, no rain, some days of sunshine, lovely wine (I walked through the Champagne and Burgundy regions), nice French people.
The waymarking was mostly very good - except once where I was a lost and searched about one hour for the right trail.
There were some days with few food on the camino, because the little shop either opened late (and I came through the village in the morning) or it opened only in the morning (and I was there in the afternoon).
And, yes, it was expensive - I spend more in one week in France than in four weeks on the
Camino Frances... This because of the stages I chose and because of the period of the year: else you could camp, and you don't have to pay a surplus for heating in some places. (several hotel rooms and one chambre d'hôte at the hotel price)
And, I admit, I offered myself the 'luxury' for some good restaurants...
Bon chemin,
FatmaG