I also like to have a reservation for the first night, however, last September did not work out for me. My back pack did not arrive with me to Paris (from Canada), where I was not planning to stay. So after two day it did arrive so I could continue my trip. By the time I arrive to St. Jean I did not have a reservation nor I knew where I was going to stay that night... The Camino did provide and I stayed at an Albergue near the Camino Office. Ended up being a great experience, during the diner I met some very nice people and drunk some very good wine. That experience removed my concerns with regards to "where will I stay tonight". The Camino infrastructure is incredibly well developed, whether by luck or design it works very well. It's hard for people like my who have "control issues" to let go and go with the flow, but I'm happy to report that the Camino did that for me.