We went last year and loved it. It's unlike anything we'd ever seen and the setting is beautiful. I'm looking forward to going back again someday.

Chaumont is fairly close to Amboise and Chenonceau.

I also have been and liked it very much. We stayed on the southern periferique so cannot comment on the Chateau de Chaumont area.

I am planning to go in July or August and will definitely report about it if I go.

I visited the chateau of Chaumont-sur-Loire last week and was blown away. Smaller than the more well-known ones, it was beautifully preserved and has a great art program, including an installation in the unrestored back corridors of the chateau that will remain until 2014.

It was raining (as it has been doing seemingly forever in France) and we saw very little of the gardens, but what was saw was beautiful. Here's my blog post about it: http://areweinparisyet.blogspot.fr/2012/06/chaumont-sur-loire.html

What a coincidence Shellio, I was there last week too. Fortunately it was on one of the few days that have been fine since I arrived in France on 1 May. I was not overly impressed by the château but really loved the gardens. Here is my blogpost: http://femmesfrancophiles.blogspot.fr/2012/06/domaine-de-chaumont-sur-loires.html

Any suggestions where to stay for 1 night?

in Onzain across the river - Chateau des tertres

Will be traveling by train from Paris. Not sure if I should stay over night in the area of the festival/ Is one day enough time to enjoy the festival or will it be a rush to enjoy it?

Am primarily interested in the gardens. Would anyone like to comment whether one day is enough time to enjoy without rushing or would an overnite be recommended. thanks

One day is enough. The annual garden show is themed. The year we saw it, its theme was "chaos". Here's one of the entries:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mksfca/4825542795/in/set-72157624575935008

Hi agapanthus,

the year we visited we were too early for the festival but we did go inside the chateau which really wouldn't have been much were it not for the fabulous exhibition of silk flowers they had on at the time.

I've regularly looked at the garden festival website but never been - one day!

Hi, we went there accidentally even though we only live 16 K away (admittedly only since recently) but I had visited the actual castle in the past and been disappointed. The gardens is stunning though. I wouldn't have missed them now that I've gone. I'll go there every year. The location of the château is quite spectacular. Here are some photos http://www.aussieinfrance.com/2012/08/the-wonderful-gardens-of-chateau-de-chaumont/