Jackie H.
Yelp
This is absolutely my favorite place on earth. Nothing makes me happier than that gravel crunching under my feet as I hurry over to nab one of those outrageously comfortable green metal chairs. Once I've got the chair, all that's left to do is sit back, crack the spine on my book or notebook, and then completely ignore it in favor of soaking in all that symmetry, harmony, and people watching.
Do yourself a favor: grab something from a bakery on your way in. Try to eat it and see how many pigeons come calling. Enjoy every last bite while the pigeons look on dejectedly.
Another thing to do: take all your little, worthless coins, and see how many of them you can land on top of the sunken Buren column. Make it a competition, if you're with friends. For every coin you land, they have to buy you a scoop of ice cream, and vice versa.
One more thing: if you have children, let them jump from column to column. Let them play in the sandbox. If they bury a toy in the sand and then can't find it, come back and check for it again some other time. Keep coming back and keep checking. Once twenty years have passed, you've probably checked enough.
(It should be obvious by now that I'm speaking from personal experience. The main beauty of the Palais Royal is that there are as many ways to do it as there are people who go there. When you leave, you'll leave with a fine coat of gravel dust on your shoes. I've packed many a dirty shoe in my time, and when I opened my suitcase again at the other end of my travels, it was always with a grin on my face.)